UFC planning Silva-Belfort Jan. 2

Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White told The Times his organization has struck verbal deals for Anderson Silva to defend his middleweight championship against Vitor Belfort on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas.

Belfort, a former UFC champion, returned to the octagon Saturday to defeat former champion Rich Franklin in Dallas.

Silva has emerged as the most elite fighter in the UFC, most recently disposing of former light-heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin.

-- Lance Pugmire

Comments

[Jared]

What a joke. THIS is why Dana White keeps getting into spats with his fighters. He underpays them, berates them when he wants in embarrassing fashion. Turns his back on them when they start losing. (Tim Sylvia) AND makes promises to fighters who deserve to fight Silva WAYYY more than Belfort does. What about Marquardt? What about Henderson? HECK, what about Rashad Evans? Rampage should've been fighting Machida and I don't see how Forrest gets to fight Silva coming off a loss. Rashad would've made more sense. BUT instead White gives Rua a shot at Machida coming off of 2 over the hill fighters. LITERALLY. White promised so many guys Silva that he will no doubt make enemies. Henderson was boasting about getting another shot. White clearly said the winner of the Marquardt Maia fight would be next. Now he does this.

I understand the heavyweight Div was weak, so you can throw Lesnar into that title fight. But at 185 and 205, you have the best fighters in the world lining up. Rampage should've fought Machida, Rashad would've made more sense to fight Silva off that win against Forrest instead of Forrest getting it off a loss. Maybe if White kept his promises then Rampage would still be here.

[Eric]

Jared, you obviously don't know what you're talking about.

1) Marquardt and Hendo have already lost to Silva in the UFC

2) Rashad Evans is a Light Heavyweight. Silva is a Middleweight who has to defend his title, and the only one worthy of challenging him (since Maia lost to Marquardt) is Belfort, given his experience and winning his last 3 fights in impressive KO fashion

3) Rashad had a fight lined up with Jackson and was going through all the TUF filming and couldn't prepare to fight Silva when Silva fought Forrest. Dana is smart - he learned that you don't give a lighter weight class guy a shot at the title just cuz he thinks he can win (thanks for that lesson BJ)

[Tamothy]

Eric, you've completely missed the point. Jared is absolutely correct, and alludes to a huge problem that currently exists in the UFC. There is no legitimate ranking system by which fighters are matched. I'm sorry, the Dana White/Joe Silva system does not count. Without a proper ranking system, you're left with ridiculous matches like Forrest Vs. Silva, which are constructed in a manner that is completely arbitrary in nature. These type of matches are solely created to draw ratings, boost fighter profiles, and generate revenue. Yes it's a business, but come on.... how will we ever know who's best if the best are not fighting the best? I don't blame the UFC though, it's the casual fans who are at fault. They expect every fight to be entertaining/exciting because damnit, they deserve it if they are expected to shell out their hard earned money for a PPV! This is such a shallow and ignorant perspective that only serves to bastardize the sport.

[Carlos]

Marquardt and Hendo are good fighters but why not give vitor a title shot 1)He has already been a champ in the UFC so it not like he is a new comer. 2)he has never lost to anderson the other two have. Vitor is a good fight and can give anderson a challenge.

[nick]

Hendo and Marquart. yes they have lost to Silva, but guess what, Hendo has beaten 3 fighters who, no offense are in the same caliber as the fighters Vitor has beaten, Marquart has only lost to Thailes Leites which if he didnt grab the fence, he would have won that fight. But he didnt, and Leites got a title shot(which showed that he was weak and scared). Rich Franklin lost to Silva and beat three decent guys to get a shot at Silva again, he got man handled the secong time, he moved to light heavyweight. But..all his fights have been at a catch weight?, Vitor fought him at 195.which correct me if im wrong is not 185, and he couldnt even make 195, the UFC needs to setup a tournament or a playoff. Hendo, Marquart, Belfort and yes Yushin Okami need to fight to See who fights Silva. Okami has only lost to Franklin in the Octagon and he beat Silva before, on a technical error on Silva's part. It is nice to see Silva fight the fights fans wanna see. but while Vitor did KO Franklin and it was impressive. Franklin lost to Hendo. so by beating him Vitor is Under Hendo in my book. Marquart is the one Who is the Best Challenge to Silva, outside Cung Le. and also, where does Wanderlei fit into this?

[Landfill A0]

This is quite the turn of events. You got 4 people deserving of a title shot and I guess it makes a little sense since Belfort is the only of the 4 (Hendo, Martquardt, Okami & Belfort) in title contention that hasn't already fought Silva but I'm beginning to think I'm the only one who realizes how borin this fight is going to be. Both counter fighters and after this, the idiotic fans will go back to criticizing Anderson. While I guess it makes sense from a selling point, it's a terrible match up imo. I still think the only guy at 185lbs with the tools to beat Anderson is Hendo and Marquardt. Takase showed us what a wrestler with submission skills could do to Anderson from a dominant position (ala Nate) and Carlos Newton showed a solid wrestler can punish Silva (ala Hendo).

Jared, Rashad was coming off of a loss, too. So that doesn't really make sense that he should have fought Anderson instead of Forrest.

And as for Shogun, the dude is a beast and injury free. Sure, his performances as of late haven't been the best but he is only 27 years old and has fought the best in the world. A healthy Shogun will test Machida like Machida has never been tested. IF, of course, he is healthy, injury free and in shape.

But anyway, it's really not too wild that Belfort got a title shot and it is definitely not a joke. The guy is on a 5 fight winning streak. Longer than Hendo, Marquardt or Okami.

[Charlie]

I also agree Jared is right on the money. His point is Dana's business relationship with UFC fighters is not stable due to his wishy washy decision making. He flops one way or the other depending on which way the wind blows and leaves fighters out to dry.

Let's face it - the fights that make business sense do not seem logical from a ranking perspective. The bottom line always takes precedence. Dana's job security is how much revenue he generates, not satisfying the segment of MMA fans who want to see fights that reflect a true tournament winner.

Silva should have never fought Thales Leites and Patrick Cote. Those fights didn't make sense from a business perspective or a ranking one. Complete waste of time. Dana and Joe Silva are learning as they go and the fighters have to bear the burden.

[Raphael Carneiro]

I`m sorry Jared, but I do not agree with you... Let`s talk about the Middle weight... Maquardt? Knocked out by Silva... Hendo? Submited by Silva... I don`t see a reason for this two having a shot @ Silva again before a guy that is a former champion and has not fight Silva yet... My opinion, don`t get me wrong...

About Rampage... He had an injury, that`s why he did not fight yet, and now it turn out that he retired, wich means he problably hasn`t been trainning in a while.... Rashad did not get a shot `cause He was supposed to fight Rampage @ the end of the year, they are coaches @ the UFC tv show, and that`s how it works, they have to fight at the end of the show... Now he retired, but it`s to late to chance Machidas next fight!
Why not Silva and Rashad? I don`t know, but maybe it was way to soon after His fight with Machida, I don`t think you can fight 3 months after have been knocked out...

[Jonathan]

Tamothy, it's difficult to objectively rank fighters except for the current titleholders; no matter how you do it, it will always suffer from a subjective bias. You make a valid point in that these fights are looking to draw ratings, but you also answer your own question. Of course the fights are made to generate revenue -- the UFC is a business. Right now, Vitor Belfort makes the most sense to challenge Silva for his middleweight belt: he has been winning by stoppage like he used to, was a previous titleholder, and unlike Marquardt and Henderson, hasn't lost to Silva yet.

Also, how does Silva's precision destruction of Griffin not confirm that he's the best? I think that Silva beating a top 10 fighter in a division up from his own is a much greater testament to his skills than beating Henderson or Marquardt again. I mean, the fight was clearly meant to draw viewers and give Silva a reason to get his old focus back, but you can't argue that his performance didn't cement his status as one of the top P4P fighters.

[Tamothy]

You're right Jonathan, to create an objective ranking system would just be too difficult. The only problem with that is that every other sporting organization known to mankind has miraculously been able to figure it out.

Also, I just don't see how Silva beating Griffin cements anything other than the fact that he is effective at LHW. However, one could have observed this from his fight with Irvin. You seem to be an intelligent MMA fan, so you had to have known that Silva/Griffin was set up only to restore the tarnished Silva name. Everyone knew what the outcome was going to be, yet we were all shocked that Silva danced around Griffin like a flower fairy. Wow, how impressive... I'm not taking anything away from Griffin, but he is not even close to being in the same class as Silva. Neither was Cote, Leites, or Irvin. So tell me, how does beating any of those fighters prove anything? Silva has been considered the best P4P fighter for years now, and these are the guys the UFC are giving him?

I understand the sport is still relatively new, and I'm not saying that other MMA organizations don't have the same problem. But if the UFC wants to stand side by side with the big leagues, then these are the type of things they will have to fix. You can't have the boss promising fights one minute, and doing a 180 as soon as he signs someone else. There is no legitimacy in that type of conduct. Without a proper ranking system, all you've got is a glorified fight club.

[Mike]

What are some of the best fights? IMO: REMATCHES

Henderson should get the shot first. He did not get dominated by Silva and actually did very well against him. He dominated in his last fight and was promised a title shot. He should be first. Right after the first fight there should have been talk of "the rematch"

Marquart should be second in line, because Dan was already supposedly next. That's just the way it works. He is also deserving of a REMATCH because he is awesome and looks better than when he first fought him.

How many good fights have been rematches St. Peirre and Hughes, Hughes and Trigg, the list goes on and on.

Hendo should say screw it and go kick ass at 205.

[Steve]

When you think about it Silva has stated that he will be retiring after this current contract is up. So yes though Belfort at Silva to get destroyed. Silva then has one fight left under his UFC contract. He vacates the title for Marquart and Henderson to fight for while Silva finishes a stelar run in the UFC at 205 for a fight against a number 1 contender. This way the UFC gets Silva one more title defence, they have set up the clear sucession to the title and hopefully bate Silva into competing at 205 under a new contract. Everyone wins especially a company who at the end of the day are looking to make money and the best matches to do so.

[Brandon]

I agree with Steve! The UFC wants Silva @ 205, where there is far more competition. Not to take anything away from the 185 pounders, but the 205 weight division is the most stacked division in the UFC. And with Anderson Silva there are more big $ fights to be made. He cannot continue to bounce from division to division seeing as usually fighters fight 3 or 4 times a year. With him as a legitimate Light Heavyweight fights can be made without having to worry about Anderson's next title defense.

[Mason]

Everyone needs to wake up and be logical about this sport. If you have ever watched silvas fights in the past 5 years. Most of the time he is toying with his opponent before her destroys them. I think Brock would have a hard time stopping him, brock may be the strongest guy in the sport and super fast for his size but dont kid yourself..a flurry of kicks and punches to the head in the blink of an eye by silva can put anyone to sleep. If you know anything about mma then you know silva and machida train together all the time and if you have ever seen them spar then you could easily see that silva is far superior. He is probably good enough to fight hendo and marquart in the same night then a month later fight brock or machida. If you dont believe me then watch all his fights and even back in his muy thai days. He is like the barry sanders of mma...just born with superior ability!