Anderson Silva gets rematch with UFC 162 loss; with win, superfight on table | News*–*MMAjunkie.com
LAS VEGAS ? Anderson Silva's record-breaking run in the UFC has earned him an immediate rematch should Chris Weidman take his middleweight title on Saturday at UFC 162.
"I'd do the rematch the next fight," UFC President Dana White on Monday toldMMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com). "Guy hasn't lost in the UFC ever, has beat everybody. He loses that fight, he's the guy for a rematch if he wants it."
Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC), who remains undefeated after 16 appearances in the octagon, remains a 2-to-1 favorite to beat the undefeated Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who has one less fight on his resume than the champ does title defenses. Should "The Spider" continue to reign and defend his belt for the 11th time, White said a superfight could be next.
That would mean Silva would face light heavyweight champ Jon Jones or welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre. White said the Brazilian champ hasn't cooled on a meeting with St-Pierre, as he indicated during a conference call this past week in support of Saturday's pay-per-view event at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"He's on board to fight either one of them," said the executive.
Of course, both Silva and St-Pierre aren't as hip to the idea, at least publicly. They've been linked to a fight talked about for more than four years, and still, it has yet to materialize.
In the latest round of news to dispel hopes, St-Pierre said he didn't want to move up in weight and shifted focus to Johny Hendricks, whom he'll fight in November. Silva said St-Pierre "had his chance" to make the fight happen and turned it down.
Yet White continues to insist the fight isn't off the table, adding that he's warmed to the idea of a catchweight meeting at 180 pounds, where neither fighter's title would be on the line. (St-Pierre previously has said he would not return to welterweight if he went to 185 to challenge Silva.)
In any event, Silva's motivation to take either matchup isn't just about glory, said White. At 38 years old, Silva has a new 10-fight contract that would take him well into his 40s. There's a finite amount of time he has to capitalize on his earning power, and St-Pierre and Jones promise the shortest distance to the biggest payouts of his career.
"Fights that don't matter don't make money," White said. "If he makes it to 10, which if he makes it to 10, nobody better deny that he's the f--king greatest of all time, but he wants big fights that are going to make money. He wants fights that are going to cement his legacy.
"None of them like to say in public, they care about making money, too."
LAS VEGAS ? Anderson Silva's record-breaking run in the UFC has earned him an immediate rematch should Chris Weidman take his middleweight title on Saturday at UFC 162.
"I'd do the rematch the next fight," UFC President Dana White on Monday toldMMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com). "Guy hasn't lost in the UFC ever, has beat everybody. He loses that fight, he's the guy for a rematch if he wants it."
Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC), who remains undefeated after 16 appearances in the octagon, remains a 2-to-1 favorite to beat the undefeated Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who has one less fight on his resume than the champ does title defenses. Should "The Spider" continue to reign and defend his belt for the 11th time, White said a superfight could be next.
That would mean Silva would face light heavyweight champ Jon Jones or welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre. White said the Brazilian champ hasn't cooled on a meeting with St-Pierre, as he indicated during a conference call this past week in support of Saturday's pay-per-view event at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Garden Arena.
"He's on board to fight either one of them," said the executive.
Of course, both Silva and St-Pierre aren't as hip to the idea, at least publicly. They've been linked to a fight talked about for more than four years, and still, it has yet to materialize.
In the latest round of news to dispel hopes, St-Pierre said he didn't want to move up in weight and shifted focus to Johny Hendricks, whom he'll fight in November. Silva said St-Pierre "had his chance" to make the fight happen and turned it down.
Yet White continues to insist the fight isn't off the table, adding that he's warmed to the idea of a catchweight meeting at 180 pounds, where neither fighter's title would be on the line. (St-Pierre previously has said he would not return to welterweight if he went to 185 to challenge Silva.)
In any event, Silva's motivation to take either matchup isn't just about glory, said White. At 38 years old, Silva has a new 10-fight contract that would take him well into his 40s. There's a finite amount of time he has to capitalize on his earning power, and St-Pierre and Jones promise the shortest distance to the biggest payouts of his career.
"Fights that don't matter don't make money," White said. "If he makes it to 10, which if he makes it to 10, nobody better deny that he's the f--king greatest of all time, but he wants big fights that are going to make money. He wants fights that are going to cement his legacy.
"None of them like to say in public, they care about making money, too."
