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Although Cain Velasquez is a heavy favourite in his heavyweight title defence at UFC 160, the champion says theres no chance he would ever take Antonio Silva lightly. The last guy to do that was Alistair Overeem, and the man-mountain known as "Bigfoot" knocked him out and seized this title shot Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. "I dont see this as anything less than a hard, grueling fight, and thats what Im expecting," Velasquez said. Yet Velasquez (11-1) realizes almost everybody expects him to wreck Silva (18-4) just as thoroughly as he did one year ago in a first-round knockout at UFC 146, leaving the 6-foot-4 Bigfoot in a bloody heap with hideous cuts on his face. Velasquezs first bout since losing the heavyweight title probably deserved an R rating for violence and gore, and he followed it up by reclaiming his belt in December with a dominant rematch win over Junior Dos Santos. "To me right now, its the most important thing to defend (the belt), just to hold on to it itself," Velasquez said. "This is the position that I want to be in, so I have to go out and perform." Earlier on the UFC 160 card, former heavyweight champion Dos Santos returns to the octagon against surprising Mark Hunt and his late-career run of stunning knockouts, while light heavyweight contender Glover Teixeira angles for a future title shot against New Zealands James Te Huna. Gray Maynard will face T.J. Grant in a lightweight bout, with the winner likely getting the next shot at champion Benson Henderson this fall, and K.J. Noons makes his UFC debut against popular lightweight Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Silva knows hes in an unlikely position, getting a rematch against a champion who thrashed him on the last edition of the UFCs annual heavyweight-centred Memorial Day weekend show in its hometown. But the well-travelled Brazilian veteran rebounded from consecutive losses to Daniel Cormier and Velasquez with stoppage victories over Travis Browne and Overeem, improbably earning another shot at Velasquez. "Obviously in the first fight, I made a big mistake," Silva said through a translator. "But there were a lot of things that I did right going into that fight, and that, unfortunately, (fans) didnt get to see. So much of that has been maintained, and overall the main strategy is just not to let his elbows get near my forehead. That would be the change." Silva realizes the UFC probably would have preferred to see Velasquez against Overeem, the touted Dutch kickboxer who still cant stop stumbling on a path to title contention littered with doping woes, upset losses and injuries. But Silva is confident he can improve on last years showing against Velasquez, saying he wont get the same case of nerves he had before making his UFC debut. And if nothing else, the bout is an intriguing contrast in sheer physics: The outsized Silva towers over the 6-foot-1 Velasquez, but cant match the champions uniquely well-rounded athleticism. "I would have to be born again to become faster than Cain Velasquez," Silva said. "Ive got 30 pounds on him. Hes going to be faster than me, so I need to work with what I have, and what I have is very, very heavy hands. ... The heavyweight division is a division where anything can happen. One punch lands, and the fight is over." Although Silva sometimes appears gangly and awkward in the cage, his physical curiosities mask a solid range of mixed martial arts skills. The 33-year-olds career began in England and Japan before moving through various minor-league North American promotions, eventually leading him to Strikeforce and the UFC. Silva only got his first shot at Velasquez after a series of injuries scuttled an original bout against Roy Nelson. But in February 2011, Silva proved why nobody should doubt hes got a shot against Velasquez: He stopped Fedor Emelianenko, the Russian star once perceived to be even more unbeatable than Cain is now. "I like when people underestimate me," Silva said. "Its nice. I get to go out there, and I get to prove them wrong. There are no superheroes in this sport. "Nobody is invincible." cheap jerseys from china . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. official nfl jerseys cheap . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. http://www.wholesalejerseysnflauthentic.com/ . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. wholesale nfl jerseys . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. china jerseys cheap . Siddikur, whose previous win on the circuit came in Brunei three years ago, finished his bogey-free round with a birdie on the 18th for a total of 17-under 199. Indias Shiv Chowrasia, who has finished runner-up in this tournament twice, was in second place after a 66. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Before they took the court and won bronze, they gathered in the locker room one final time. Each player on the U.S. womens volleyball took a turn to speak.Jordan Larson told her teammates she loved them and would fight for every one of them.Alisha Glass made sure they all knew there was nowhere shed rather be now than right here in Rio.Captain Christa Dietzen? She didnt need an Olympic medal. She already understood what this tight-knit team was all about, and she also knew it sure would be nice to wear one home as she heads into retirement and prepares to start a family. They thanked one another for the time and effort over four hard years.Beach star Kerri Walsh Jennings sent a note of her own: Go get a bronze. Just as Walsh Jennings and April Ross did.Im just really proud to be a part of this program, Larson said. Its come a long way. Im just really happy because there are a lot of good people who deserve this. A lot of people just gave their hearts and soul to this.Player-turned-coach Karch Kiraly, the only person to win Olympic volleyball gold as a beach and indoor player, addressed each woman. He spoke of his admiration and acknowledged those players back home who didnt make the cut.Just by stepping on the court Saturday, Foluke Akinradewo showed how this squad stuck together. She returned from an injury to her left leg that forced her out early in the semifinal loss to Serbia. The star middle blocker took charge as the top-ranked Americans bounced back two days later to beat the Netherlands 25-23, 25-27, 25-22, 25-19.After Kim Hills ace on match point, the U.S. women fell into an embrace. Kiraly hugged his coaches and brought the women into a huddle for one last cheer.In a way, selfishly, I wanted a gold medal to almost prove the way this culture is, or the way the culture has grown and the foundation that weve built, almost to prove it right -- that the way we did it was right, Dietzen said. A medals not going to prove that. A medal doesnt define this team. It will never define this team.Reserve setter Courrtney Thompson, the Americans inspirational motivator, joined Dietzen in announcing immediately after the match that her volleyball days are done.dddddddddddd Then they joked about meeting for a crack-of-dawn spin class later in the week.I have a whole new respect for everyone that wins a bronze medal, Thompson said. Its not easy, 48 hours later.This group leaves the Olympics again without the big prize. The last three games went this way: Beijing 2008, silver; London 2012, silver; and Rio de Janeiro 2016, bronze.Our team dealt with some real pain and heartache, heartbreak, a couple of days ago, said Kiraly, who thanked Walsh Jennings for her gesture. Im incredibly proud of how within hours they were preparing, carrying that heartbreak, but preparing to be good and to finish strong. I also never had any understanding of how good a bronze medal could feel, and it feels incredible right now. Were so happy to finish this tournament on this note.The Netherlands shined, playing in its first Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games. The Dutch pushed the U.S. to five sets in pool play on Aug. 8 and put womens volleyball on the map at home with a gutsy, never-give-up style.Now, the Americans are left to try again in Tokyo 2020 for the programs first gold, with certain new leaders emerging to guide that run: Hill, Kelsey Robinson, Kayla Banwarth.Thompson and Carli Lloyd wrapped themselves together with an American flag. Banwarth lifted the Stars and Stripes above her head.These women will look to build on this even if it wasnt the result they planned for all along. Still, it was far better than departing South America empty-handed.Theres been a lot of tears the past couple days, Hill said. And not just tears of sadness before this match, tears of gratitude and just joy at this experience these past four years, in this tournament and being with this group of people, this special group. Its been such an amazing ride. ' ' '