You've got to hand it to Anderson Silva: The guy can stir up a strong reaction no matter what kind of appearance he makes for the UFC. And, often, that reaction is one of vexation.

In the cage, it can be his inexplicable inactivity, bobbing and dancing with his hands down, or offering a lift to a felled foe that perplexes us.

Outside of the octagon, his rare spoken offerings are just as baffling and at times even less understandable.

Did you see his, um, "interview" during Saturday's UFC Fight Night 23?

There was Silva, the middleweight champion, in a brief one-on-one satellite hookup, sporting glasses that gave a professorial impression. Too bad that didn't hold up once he started answering questions.

Or, as it turned out, once he started repeating the same phrases regardless of what Joe Rogan posed.

According to Silva, he was excited for the opportunity to fight Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 on Feb. 5. He was happy. He was thankful to the fans. And, oh yeah, he was excited and happy.

After one response to Rogan in English, his next "answer" was in his native tongue, translated by someone and dubbed over his actual words in the tape-delayed exchange.

The whole exercise was totally pointless and nearly incomprehensible - and that had little to do with the fact that Silva (apparently) only speaks broken English.

It was like Rogan was trying to have a conversation with one of those baby toys that blurt a few sayings over and over in no particular order.

Rogan: So, Anderson, how are you preparing for Belfort, an opponent who has better striking skills than any challenger you've faced in the UFC?

Silva: Let's sing a song!

Rogan: Ummmm ... So, what will it mean to you to defend your title again?

Silva: You're my friend!

Tell me, what's the difference between that and the actual "interview"?

The helpless Rogan was Rosetta-Stoned by a man who tops many pound-for-pound lists - a man who also seems to give the MMA world little of himself outside of the cage.

One would think that the UFC honchos, who are so fond of trumpeting Silva as the pound-for-pound king, might want the paying customers to get a better feel for their guy. Maybe if fans knew more about him as a person, they'd like him (or dislike him) more, and be more apt to plunk down the pay-per view fee despite his frequent duds.

Maybe I'm going out of my way to be picky. Of course, it's Silva's prerogative to maintain a low profile. And, in today's saturated media culture, it's actually kind of amazing that more of his personal life and personality haven't been revealed, other than through UFC-produced materials.

It's definitely amazing considering that, throughout history, our most sensational prize-fighting champions are usually not so publicly reserved. Reporters flock to find ways inside the heads of the curious men who pulverize other men for a living. Much of the time, their probing is fruitful.

Do you ever remember thinking, "Gee, I wish I could find out more about Mike Tyson?"

It's even more astounding that Silva's training partners, friends and/or connections haven't provided more details about him. I have yet to read or see anything that helped me get to know this wacky and talented individual, and that's probably a calculated plan carried out by The Spider's handlers.

Of course, my reaction is purely one of...