Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen UFC Comic Book Features Steven Seagal Cameo

Steven Seagal knows how to keep busy.

His ReelzChannel series, True Justice, was renewed for a second season in April. His next movie, Maximum Conviction, is in post-production, and while the A&E series Steven Seagal: Lawman is on hiatus, Seagal remains a reserve deputy chief in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.

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This week, however, the aikido master and action film veteran found himself making a different kind of cameo: in an online comic book.

As part of its efforts to promote the UFC Middleweight Championship bout between titleholder Anderson Silva and challenger Chael Sonnen at next weekend's UFC 148 fight card in Las Vegas, the world's foremost mixed martial arts promotion is releasing an online comic book, with one panel per day being posted on the UFC's Facebook page (Facebook.com/UFC) until the fight on July 7 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The story's title, "The Silver Spider vs. The American Gangsta," is derived from Silva's nickname ("The Spider") and one of the notoriously verbose Sonnen's most memorable lines: "You are an immigrant from Brazil. I am a gangster from America."

The action depicted thus far shows Silva and Sonnen training for their fight, with dialogue and thought bubbles telling the story based on real-life comments from the fighters. In Wednesday's panel, Seagal is shown standing behind the champion as he kicks a heavy bag in the gym.

Seagal has made news in the MMA world in recent months for his association with the "Black House" fight camp that includes Silva, former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Seagal has attended a number of UFC events, and even accompanied Black House fighters to their weigh-ins. He's been credited on occasion for inspiring particularly impressive moves used in the UFC's Octagon by Black House fighters, including a devastating front kick that Silva used to defeat rival Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 last year.

Seagal appeared earlier this month on The MMA Hour, an online streaming talk show, to discuss the Silva-Sonnen fight. He plans on attending the UFC 148 fight card, but is unsure whether he'll be in Silva'scorner for the fight with Sonnen.

In the meantime, though, he's certainly got Silva's back where digital ink is concerned.