Nothing Silva does bothers me. His performances in the Octagon make it clear he wants a challenge and will rise to the occasion, and he’ll make a mockery out of opponents that he shouldn’t be fighting at this point in his career (see Leitas and Cote).

I think he primarily wants a challenge, but he also realizes that significant challenges for him at this point in his career are also big money fights. Keep in mind that Silva is 34 and is seeing many fighters not too much older than him in serious decline (Matt Hughes, W. Silva, and Chuck Liddell come to mind immediately). He knows his career is most likely coming to an end relatively soon, and he’s proven he’s among the best ever.

I won’t search for the links now, but it’s definitely been talked about on Bloody Elbow (especially fan posts) about the possibility of Silva vacating the title. It’s unlikely the UFC will let him do so, since it means he escapes the Champion’s Clause and an automatic renewal of his contract.

The only thing Silva is “ducking” are lower pay days than he thinks he’s worth. And, frankly, he’s right. He has made it clear he’ll ridicule outclassed middleweights (which is not crowd-pleasing to see), yet he’ll put on exciting headliners against top fighters in heavier weight classes (I don’t even need to say his name here).

I want Silva-Mir. If Silva loses, Silva-GSP and Silva versus a top LHW (Shogun if he wins, which I find unlikely). Otherwise, Silva versus the top two heavyweights in the UFC… I’m guessing Lesnar and hopefully, by then, Fedor.

I think you’re missing the point that it’s the UFC that doesn’t want him to vacate the MW title because it keeps him contractually bound to them through the champion’s clause. It’s why Couture never was able to vacate the HW belt… which would have greatly improved his legal position.

Vacating the belt, fighting anyone but Machida at LHW or beatable guys at Heavyweight leaves him in the best possible bargaining position when his contract is over. He’s not bound to the clause, he’s beaten former champions like Griffin and Mir and lays claim to the p4p throne without being undercut by the champion’s clause.

Silva wanted a challenge at 185 and Dana White went out and got a guy who’s starched both Matt Lindland and Rich Franklin. And he’s still balking.

The UFC brass doesn’t like tourneys. Also, a six man round robin tourney? Injuries would destroy that thing

and there’s no reason to think it won’t happen. I just think this is all about money. Silva, for several reasons, isn’t a huge draw, yet as Dana has said a hundred times, he’s the pound for pound greatest fighter in MMA. So if the boss thinks that, I can understand some frustration on Silva’s part with his paydays. Maybe he should just get guaranteed money and leave it at that. It’s frustrating for us too, but the only thing that SHOULD really frustrate us is the fact that Silva’s so beyond everyone in skill that we can’t think of a challenging fight for him except at heavyweight. It’s not his fault no one can even come remotely close to challenging him. Apart from Machida, Fedor or Lesnar, I can’t think of someone I honestly think could beat him. So any fight that shows off his skills is fine by me. Mir, Vitor, Nate, Dan, Randy, whoever. I hope the UFC pays him well, promotes him tirelessly as the greatest fighter who has walked the face of the Earth since T. Rex died out, and we get to see these fights, because while no one outside of Fedor or Brock or someone may be able to beat him, at least him fighting more often would show us more of his art. Honestly, the Griffin fight was amazing, but in doubt for only about 10 seconds…If that’s the best we’re going to get, he might as well go fight K-1, sideshows, circus animals or whatever, as long as it pays. The fault isn’t his…

would be incredible.

I wish the economy didn’t suck so I could pull some Silva/Fedor of my own in the job market

no saying I should dominate in the job market, but the way things are sure suck! And if you have negotiating power you should always use it to your advantage