Check out this revealing interview that Sherdog did with Anderson Silva in Rio de Janeiro, in which the Spider delves a little deeper into his motivations for retiring next year. First, he repeats his claim that he’ll be gone after the six remaining fights on his UFC contract are up, but he estimates that he’ll be finished with those fights in June 2009 — which would mean he’d fight almost every month next year. “Everything has its time,” he says, “and I believe my time is already over.”

When asked if financial concerns were behind his desire to leave the UFC, and whether he was bothered by the fact that some UFC fighters who aren’t even champions get paid much more than he does, Silva says “It has nothing to do with money because I’m a humble person who has an ordinary life. Actually I never did it for money…Everything I could do for MMA, I already did. Now it’s time to help the new generation.”

By the end of next year, Silva says he’ll already be retired. “You will not see myself pinching a fly anymore…I’m going to be fat, with a big belly by the side of the Octagon, eating popcorn behind the scenes, making my imitations and screaming for the fighters: ‘Go there! Kick his face! Put him down!’ It’s going to be really funny!”

As for his upcoming UFC 90 fight against Patrick Cote, Silva had this to say: “I’m not able to predict the future, but I can say it’s going to be fun. He’s going to beat me a little bit, and I’m going to beat him a little bit…If God permits, I’ll keep my belt.”