• UFC 138

Munoz responds after Silva questions friendship

Mark Munoz has moved to clarify his position over a potential showdown with training partner Anderson Silva, after Silva appeared to react negatively to the American's call for a title shot.

Fighter quotes often take a life of their own once they get into the media mill, and Munoz's post-fight comments that he wants a UFC title crack have - in places - been interpreted as a direct challenge to Silva.

Munoz beat Chris Leben at UFC 138 and then declared he felt he was deserving of his shot, and Silva later appeared to question their friendship upon hearing the news.

"I hadn't even seen that (Munoz's challenge)," Silva reportedly said to SporTV. "I thought Munoz was a friend, but that's okay..."

Munoz immediately responded by writing to Silva on Twitter, saying: "U r my friend! Don't want to disrespect at all! I honour our friendship."

The Filipino Wrecking Machine had earlier spoken to ESPN, and while he confirmed he would fight Silva in a title situation, he was keen to stress that it would only happen if the pair's friendship was preserved.

"Why do I get these hard questions man?!" he quipped. "I've fought a friend before and it's hard. It is competition, you've got to look at it like that, but you're inflicting pain and damage and you don't want to do that to a friend.

"[A title shot] would be an exception, because then you're like, 'Dude, we're fighting for a world title together, let's make this exciting, let's make some money together and make it the best fight ever'.

"[Afterwards] the winner takes the other one out to eat."

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