Dana White: Anderson Silva Could Get UFC Title Shot with Win Over Nick Diaz

Quote :

Despite getting finished in two straight title tilts, with the last fight ending in one of the most gruesome injuries in MMA history, UFC president Dana White states former middleweight king Anderson Silva (pictured) could find himself in a championship affair with a win over Nick Diaz.

“Anderson Silva is fighting Nick Diaz, and then Vitor Belfort and Chris Weidman will fight. Anderson Silva could fight the winner of that fight,” White said on Monday’s edition of Fox Sports 1′s ‘America’s Pregame’ show.

Huh?

Not only has Silva lost two consecutive scraps, both to reigning champ Weidman, but he’s also been sitting the sidelines rehabbing the fractured shin he suffered last December. In addition, there’s new blood making their way up the rankings that also deserve consideration, most notably former Strikeforce champions Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Luke Rockhold.

Furthermore, if Weidman retains his belt against Belfort at UFC 184, would a trilogy against a man Silva has already lost twice to make sense? Silva knocked out Belfort with a front kick to the grill back 2011, so that rematch might be more sellable with Belfort as the champ.

http://www.5thround.com/177941/dana-white-anderson-silva-could-get-ufc-title-shot-with-win-over-nick-diaz/


DA FUCK!!?

I actually don't have a big problem with that.
Silva/Diaz should be great and so should Vitor/Weidman.
I'd really enjoy a rematch of Silva/Vitor.
If by some miracle Diaz wins, then throw a title shot toward Rockhold or something.

If Weidman is champ... which we all know he will be. It makes absolutely no sense what so ever! 1 win over an irrelevant 170lb fighter = Title fight at 185lbs... against the Champ who just beat him twice in a row... I didn't think the first rematch was warranted, this one certainly isn't

Kennedy,rockhold,romero,souza all have a better argument for a title fight over silva right now.

Chrom wrote:

If Weidman is champ... which we all know he will be. It makes absolutely no sense what so ever! 1 win over an irrelevant 170lb fighter = Title fight at 185lbs... against the Champ who just beat him twice in a row... I didn't think the first rematch was warranted, this one certainly isn't

Well let me just say that even though I'm a big Silva fan, I agree that he should not get a title shot based only on beating Nick Diaz. But I basicly disagree with everything else about this post. lol!

If he were to be granted a title shot, let's be realistic here; it wouldn't be because he simply beat Diaz. It would be because of his absolutely stellar and legendary accomplishments as the MW champion AND because he beat Diaz. It's not like he's just some guy in his first UFC fight who would be getting a title shot by beating Diaz at MW.
(I'm not saying I agree with that logic, just that there is logic there to be found)

And I don't know how you can still be holding on to the belief that the first rematch was not warranted. I just don't even know where to begin to explain how much I disagree with that.

But like I said, I agree that he should not be given a title shot if he beats Diaz. At this point, there are more deserving contenders. And honestly, I don't even think Silva wants a shot at the title. He's said as much on numerous occasions. I think this is just Dana talking out of his ass.

Triggerman99 wrote:

And I don't know how you can still be holding on to the belief that the first rematch was not warranted. I just don't even know where to begin to explain how much I disagree with that.

Because

Yeah, you're right. Because Silva obviously took that fight super-seriously and there was absolutely nothing of note about that fight other than the very end. Just your average, everyday fight. Nothing to see here......

The only difference in Now/Then is the outcome.

He always did it, but never took it to the ridiculous level he did in the Weidman fight. Not even close. That's been my point from day 1, and it's never changed. In the other fights it was gamesmanship. In the Weidman fight it was absurd and mind-boggling.
But whatever. I've had this conversation a thousand times. He clearly took it to another level in the Weidman fight. That's obvious to anyone. What's also obvious is that it ultimately didn't matter; we as fans deserved to see him in a rematch in which he would take the fight seriously. We did. He did. The rest is history.

Anyway......
Like I said, he's said on more than one occasion that he has no interest in fighting for the title anymore. But assuming he actually does, or has a sudden change of heart, I think we all agree that beating Diaz doesn't = #1 contendership.
So what would?
I'd say that (assuming he beats Diaz) beating one legit MW contender soundly (i.e. a finish or a dominant UD) would constitute a chance at getting the belt back.
I don't think Rockhold should have to fight again. He should be next in line right now. If Jacare beats Romero, I say he's secured his path to the belt as well. But if Romero wins, I'd like to see him tested against Silva, with the winner getting a title shot.
I think Bisping and Kennedy would be interesting options as well.

Silva vs Weidman 3 - No way. Not until he wins another few.
Silva vs Belfort - Closer, but still Jacare should get a shot first.

There ya'll go agin thinking with yer logic meat in yer heads.

When Silva beats Diaz a title shot is a certainty.... why? MONEY..... Everyone will pay to see Silva have a shot at the title again, Cinderella Man (sorta) but MONEY MONEY MONEY will get the deal done.

Hell ... I might even pay for a rematch......

I wouldnt pay for a rematch. even without the leg break and the show boating silva showed absolutely no chance of winning those fights. he was rocked by punches in both fights he was taken down and couldnt improve position and his punches/kicks seemed to not bother weidman at all. what would be different this time other than an older silva who is coming back off of a possible career ending injury?

Krieger wrote:

There ya'll go agin thinking with yer logic meat in yer heads.

When Silva beats Diaz a title shot is a certainty.... why? MONEY..... Everyone will pay to see Silva have a shot at the title again, Cinderella Man (sorta) but MONEY MONEY MONEY will get the deal done.

Hell ... I might even pay for a rematch......

Nah, your logic is misdirected on this one.
Nobody is interested in seeing Silva fight Weidman again. Not Silva fans, not Weidman fans, and probably not anybody in the middle, either.

I wana see Silva fight a few more times, because even though his age and his chin have caught up to him, I still think he has something to offer in the cage, and there's some interesting match-ups I'd like to see him be a part of. But Silva/Weidman 3 is not interesting.
At least not now it isn't.
if Silva comes back like he looked in 2007 (holy shit!!! has it been that long???) and buzzsaws through 3 top 10 fighters in less than 2 rounds each, then that's a different story altogether.

Triggerman99 wrote:

Krieger wrote:

There ya'll go agin thinking with yer logic meat in yer heads.

When Silva beats Diaz a title shot is a certainty.... why? MONEY..... Everyone will pay to see Silva have a shot at the title again, Cinderella Man (sorta) but MONEY MONEY MONEY will get the deal done.

Hell ... I might even pay for a rematch......

Nah, your logic is misdirected on this one.
Nobody is interested in seeing Silva fight Weidman again. Not Silva fans, not Weidman fans, and probably not anybody in the middle, either.

I wana see Silva fight a few more times, because even though his age and his chin have caught up to him, I still think he has something to offer in the cage, and there's some interesting match-ups I'd like to see him be a part of. But Silva/Weidman 3 is not interesting.
At least not now it isn't.
if Silva comes back like he looked in 2007 (holy shit!!! has it been that long???) and buzzsaws through 3 top 10 fighters in less than 2 rounds each, then that's a different story altogether.

I agree - I dont even think casual fans would be all that into a part 3 when the first 2 were won so decidedly. If Anderons kills Diaz and then obliterates a rockhold or someone like that then maybe.

silva has so many fights outside of weidman to prove himself worthy of another shot silva vs rockhold, belfort, jacare, machida, moosesaucy, romero, phillopu, bisping, would be a great start

drainbamage wrote:

silva has so many fights outside of weidman to prove himself worthy of another shot silva vs rockhold, belfort, jacare, machida, moosesaucy, romero, phillopu, bisping, would be a great start

1000% agree with ya

I wonder if he's still interested in moving up to LHW?
I'm not sure anymore that that's such a good idea. Weidman's size and strength was obviously one of the big advantages he had in his fight over Silva. I know people like to point to the fact that Silva has fought and done well at LHW, and try to say he's a "natural" LHW (whatever the hell that means), but it's noticeable in Weidman's fights with Silva and Machida that Weidman is an enourmous MW. At least he looked that way next to those two.
You only need to look at Weidman as proof that Silva does not belong in the LHW division.

weidman looks like a heavyweight next to vitor who was a lhw and once a heavyweight fighter.
i didnt realize how big weidman was until he was standing next to vitor.

and this isnt the best pic but i didnt feel like searching for a better one