Bodog Beat

Anderson Silva says Spider-Man is his hero. (Spider-Man courtesy of Columbia Pictures / Anderson Silva by AP Images)

Ask any mixed martial arts fighter who their hero i, and there's a good chance they'll say it's martial arts star Bruce Lee or mixed martial arts legend Royce Gracie, but UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva (19-4-0) has a hero who's a real super hero straight out of comic books.

"I have every Spider-Man comic book series since 1984," Silva tells The Daily Star. "I listed him as my hero as he is the only super hero that had bills to pay. You can mention Batman but he was rich while Superman was from another planet."

"I come from very humble beginnings but I received a lot of love and support from my family," he says. "They helped keep me going and now, hopefully, their backing has been rewarded. At first they didn't want me to become a fighter but eventually they realised that it was something I loved to do, and that I was actually pretty good."

Saturday, Oct. 20, Silva will put his belt on the line when he faces former champion Rich Franklin (22-2-0) at UFC 77: Hostile Territory.

Bet on Franklin vs. Silva in the Bodog Sportsbook.

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