Bloody Elbow: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:



Around SBN: Welcome to the New PiM Bar-right-arrows



UFC 89 Could Be Headlined by Anderson Silva

A few weeks ago, Dave Meltzer reported that UFC 89 from Birmingham, England was set for Spike TV.  There hasn't been an announcement, supposedly due to Spike's unwillingness to pay large rights fees for a show without a big main event.  According to MMA Junkie, UFC may be trying to solve that problem by adding Anderson Silva to the card:

After this past weekend's UFC Fight Night 14 event in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White said that UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, who defeated James Irvin in the event's headline bout, will likely next fight Patrick Cote. (Yushin Okami had been next in line for the title shot, but he recently suffered a broken hand while training.)

White said that if Silva fights in September at UFC 88, that it would likely be against Cote.

However, one source close to the fighter tells MMAjunkie.com that Silva, largely considered the world's top pound-for-pound fighter, could instead be added to the UFC 89 fight card in Birmingham to bolster the nationally televised line-up. (And UFC 88 would instead feature its originally scheduled pay-per-view main event of Chuck Liddell vs. Rashad Evans.)

Coming off such a strong ratings performance this past Saturday, this sounds like a good move.  Silva was rumored to be on UFC 88, but that card already has Liddell, Franklin, Henderson, and Parisyan on it.  It's not clear Silva would add much more, and another widely seen demolition could increase his stock even further.

0 recs | Comment 16 comments

Read Related

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

This would make an already decent card perhaps one of the best of the year – and certainly the best English card ever. Good move by the UFC if this were to come through.

by Flying Gogoplata on Jul 22, 2008 6:22 PM EDT   0 recs

definately not card of the year…free card of the year is pushing it. UFN Florian v. Lauzon had some wicked matchups.

by B Money on Jul 22, 2008 7:36 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Why not?

Besides Anderson you’ve got a much improved Bisping against an improved Leben; an underrated Sokoudjou against a competent, rising Cane; a compelling Hardy vs. Gono match and of course, Machida vs. T. Silva. I’d much rather watch this than UFC FN 13.

by Flying Gogoplata on Jul 22, 2008 8:13 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

It's Cane all day...

...if Soko decides he wants to keep that fight standing.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison

by brentbrookhouse on Jul 22, 2008 10:07 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I don’t see Soko earning a win in this fight

by lovingmma25 on Jul 23, 2008 10:05 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Agree..

Looks to me like he’s only got a puncher’s chance given his heavy hands and the way he finished the two top tier guys in Lil Nog and Arona.

If this goes to the ground, I’m not expecting much from him, at least defensively, with the way he showed in his fight against Machida.

by Johann on Jul 23, 2008 10:59 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

MMA’s best fights are about matchups, and while Bisbing / Leben and Machida / Silva should be good fights, I just don’t know about the others so far. Karo / Alves, Diaz / Pellegrino and Edgar / Maynard were all good matchups and made for good fights. I’m one of the few who would rather watch a great fight than watch two big names go at it knowing it’ll be boring or lop sided (see Sylvia v. Fedor).

by B Money on Jul 22, 2008 10:19 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

This will definitely help the Europe market. This fight could help solidify the UFC’s presence in Eurpoe.

by lovingmma25 on Jul 23, 2008 10:04 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Anderson will destroy Cote. This would be a terrible ppv headliner, but would add appeal to a Spike card for sure. Plus another destruction would only help to elevate Silva.

"The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushin'"

by BJJDenver on Jul 22, 2008 7:07 PM EDT   0 recs

If...

If Anderson fights every two months (even two and a half or three) then it might be worth watching him demolish Cote real quick and then be completely free of defending the MW title for several fights (or until Okami is ready).

by KneeToTheFace on Jul 22, 2008 7:17 PM EDT   0 recs

Damn...

I was hoping I’d get Anderson on the Chicago card.

Contributing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.

"The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls and looking like hard work." -- Thomas Edison

by brentbrookhouse on Jul 22, 2008 7:58 PM EDT   0 recs

I was hoping I’d get him on the ATL card :(

http://tharealness.wordpress.com/

by Tha Realness on Jul 23, 2008 7:57 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

Bored....

Seems to me Anderson Silva is completely bored. Maybe he should move up to heavyweight.. well.. he would probably be bored there too in the UFC.

Rob Dib
http://www.break-your-face.com

by Rob Dib on Jul 22, 2008 9:38 PM EDT   0 recs

I don’t think hes bored as much as he knows hes 33 years old and wants to get in as many fights (and big payday fights) as possible before he retires.

by Day Man on Jul 22, 2008 9:57 PM EDT to parent up   0 recs

I don’t think age is a factor with Silva.

by lovingmma25 on Jul 23, 2008 10:03 AM EDT to parent up   0 recs

silva!

cote is not ready for the spider!

by DeMo Spinning back fist on Jul 23, 2008 12:02 AM EDT   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

"All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it." -- H.L. Mencken

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
UFC to Japan next Spring is sure thing?

Recent FanPosts

Small
Thoughts on "UFC to Japan"
Small
Is this the end for Chuck Liddell
Mmafiendsmall_small
Tito Ortiz: Juanito Ibarra Is A Thief
Mmafiendsmall_small
Jackson's Camp's Secret Weapon: Nipple Tweaking?
Mmafiendsmall_small
Evans/Forrest Could Do Liddell/Forrest Like PPV Numbers
079_small
Dissecting the Iceman
Zingano_08_006_small
UFC reaction and thoughts on other reactions
Small
The $100 Experiment: UFC 88 Results
Small
DANA, We would like your help!!!!!

Post_icon New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini


Site Meter