The UFC Wants to Promote Wanderlei Silva vs. Anderson Silva

by Michael Rome on Jun 11, 2009 8:26 AM EDT Comment 14 comments

Anderson-silva-ufc-champ_medium I just finished watching the Countdown to UFC 99 show, and the most fascinating part to me was how heavily they focused on the Anderson Silva factor at UFC 99. They briefly explored the roots of the feud between Wanderlei and Anderson, and spent a lot of time building up a future fight between the two if Wanderlei wins. Dana White said the following on the Spike special:

If Wanderlei Silva beats Rich Franklin in this fight, obviously he's not going to be too happy about Anderson training Rich to beat him...and if Anderson Silva comes out of his fight with Forrest and he doesn't get banged up and can jumpright back in, we could see a Wanderlei Silva-Anderson Silva fight in the very near future.

This suggests to me that if Wanderlei knocks Rich out this weekend, they are willing to leapfrog him over Maia and Bisping and into title contention. They are in a bit of a bind this fall without main events to fill shows, and they may pull the trigger on this one sooner rather than later if they have the opportunity.

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As popular as Wanderlei is, I can’t see the UFC skipping over Bisping (if he beats Henderson) to give Wanderlei a title shot. In the UK, and possibly with American fans, Bisping vs Anderson Silva would be huge. I would personally like to see the battle between the two Silva’s, but I would think that Wanderlei would need one more fight at 185 (if Wanderlei beats Franklin) to get a title shot. It all depends on how everything plays out though.

by chrisbboy82 on Jun 11, 2009 1:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If Wanderlei wins this fight in emphatic fashion (think his Rogan dubbed “rape-choke” victory over Jardine), then he’ll probably leap-frog Bisping. A dominant decision victory may also lead to a title shot in the near future, but anything else and all bets are off (and it’s not happening if Wanderlei loses to Franklin, which probably goes without saying).

by Estrada on Jun 11, 2009 2:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I love how when the UFC has a top P4P fighter they continuously line him up with people who don’t deserve a title shot, or just shouldn’t be fighting him.

So we have Irving, Cote, Laites, and now potentially a guy who would be 2-4 in the last 3 years? Don’t blame Anderson for quitting the UFC

by Flyghtt on Jun 11, 2009 2:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And who’s to say that Anderson Silva was unhappy with any of those fights? Whose to say that Anderson Silva doesn’t really want this fight with Wanderlei Silva too? You made a jump from a decent point to a silly conclusion. Anderson Silva has never said or even implied that he was leaving the UFC due to his competition in his last three fights he has said he wants to retire from fighting when his contract is up, two totally unrelated issues.

Adding Wanderlei Silva to your little list is sort of odd too, yea he hasn’t been on a role lately but the man is a living legend in the sport, hell as you yourself just pointed out the level of competition Wanderlei has been fighting his much greater than the competition level that Anderson Silva has been fighting lately. Heck even if Anderson SIlva was upset about the competition he has been facing, if a fight with Wanderlei (who he has personal issues with) doesn’t get his attention perhaps he should just hang up his gloves.

by who me on Jun 11, 2009 9:03 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m saying from his position all these matches are boring because they are not challenges. Wanderlei isn’t in Anderson’s galaxy anymore.

Besides that this is like Lyoto vs Thiago. Its a match up that is perfect for Anderson to KO Wanderlei hard with his technical counter punching. I would say this is an easier fight stylistically than anyone he has faced in the UFC except Leban and Irving.

Maybe you are right, I don’t know what Anderson is thinking. I’m just saying, if I were on top of the world like Anderson I would be running to boxing or another organization for a challenge out of boredom

by Flyghtt on Jun 11, 2009 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As much as I would love to see Bisping get destroyed by Anderson (assuming A. Silva actually feels like fighting), Wandy would force Silva to fight – if Andy didn’t fight back, he would go to sleep (again, assuming he doesn’t dance his way to a victory)

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett

by themachiavellian on Jun 11, 2009 2:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Exactly.

I like Frankly (seems like a good guy) but if it takes him loosing to set up a Wanderlei fight with Anderson…then so be it.

I want to see someone who will push Anderson in the cage with him very badly…and frankly don’t see Bisping doing it.

by Razreshat on Jun 11, 2009 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

with the current uk broadcasting debacle, it might make the most sense to set this fight up prior to the bisping one. give that mess time to sort itself out. otherwise they’ve spent all this time building up bisping for a fight no one would be able to watch.

by woooburn on Jun 11, 2009 9:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Except on the internet!

"I'm AJB and I endorse this nut-puncher."

by AJB on Jun 11, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

zing!

by woooburn on Jun 11, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I absolutely cannot wait for this weekend!

by Patrick79x on Jun 11, 2009 9:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think we’ll seel Wanderlei vs. Anderson even if he Wandy loses to Rich. Give Wandy one easy comeback fight to get a win streak going and then they’ll throw him up against Andy for total destruction. With beef this hot, you gotta have the fight.

A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who

by thetakeover on Jun 11, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs