UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will defend his title against Patrick Cote on Saturday at UFC 90, but UFC President Dana White says Silva could be fighting soon with another belt on the line.
White said today that Silva would like to alternate between fighting at middleweight (185 pounds) and light heavyweight (205 pounds) and that he could be a contender for the light heavyweight belt while continuing to defend his middleweight belt.
"He wants to keep the 185-pound belt and keep going back and forth," White said. "Should he win, he's probably two fights away from fighting for the light heavyweight title, too."
Right now, the light heavyweight belt belongs to Forrest Griffin, who will defend it against Rashad Evans at UFC 92. On the undercard that night will be a huge light heavyweight clash between Wanderlei Silva and Rampage Jackson. I expect the winners of Griffin-Evans and Wanderlei-Rampage to fight each other, and I also think the Lyoto Machida-Thiago Silva winner will be very worthy of a title shot. So it's a crowded field at light heavyweight.
But I have to say, no matter who the UFC light heavyweight champion is, I think I'd pick Anderson Silva to beat any of them. I know it's a fight I'd love to see.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
There may be a slight problem with this. Anderson Silva has publicly said he would not fight Lyota Machida because they are good friends. Right now it's rather hypothetical obviously but it makes me curious what would happen if they ever had to face off, whether Dana would have them fight each other anyway assuming that Lyota continues to dominate the division and become champion and Anderson silva eventually becomes the number one contender for the title. I realize there is a lot of speculation here but the liklyhood of them ending up in such a situation is certainly quite possible, which begs the question, is a fighter obligated to take a fight against his will if Dana wants the fight to happen. Other fighters have fought people they are friends with in the ufc but anderson silva made a rather clear statement specifically about Machida that neither he or machida would ever fight each other due to being close friends.