What Light Heavyweight could have fought Silva to salvage UFC 151?
Posted on August 27, 2012, 06:37 PM by Mike SearsonAlthough UFC 151 has been cancelled for almost a week, talk is still going on about one of the biggest let-downs of the year. With Henderson out on an injury, the UFC offered Jones a fight against former Middleweight contender, Chael Sonnen. Jones' refusal of the fight ultimately lead to the cancellation of the entire card. A first in UFC history.
It was reported earlier that UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva was considering a move up to Light Heavyweight in hopes of salvaging the card, but it just was not to be. The reigning Middleweight Champion weighed in on the situation during the Brazilian television show, Domingao do Faustao. As translated by Tatame, Silva was quoted as saying: “You did your entire preparation focused on one guy. When they replace a guy it changes a bit. I thought (Jones) could fight Chael, but it’s his call to make. He trained focused on Dan Henderson. His team thought it was better for him not to fight."
"Spider" went on to explain why he volunteered to fight any Light Heavyweight except Jon Jones at UFC 151: “When I heard it, I called Dana and said I’d fight in the Light Heavyweight division although I wasn’t trained. Besides the big fight there are other fighters relying on that. I worried about that because I’ve been through that in smaller events."
White seemed flattered by Silva’s offer to bail the company out, but conceded that unless it was a fight with Jones, the promotion had no interest.
We may never know whom Silva was suppossed to face. As UFC 152 has been rebranded as 151 and Jones will be fighting Vitor Belfort. If push came to shove and the UFC would have taken Silva's offer, what other 205er would you have liked to have seen Silva fight? Rampage? Griffin? Belfort? Bader? Evans?
Comments
I really don't see any top 10 fighting him on that short notice.
Maybe Davis who just came out of a fight untouched a couple of weeks ago... apart from tht who knows
A rematch with Forrest would have been awesome. And hilarious.
No.
Dana White vs Greg Jackson would be a great matchup to see . Two bald heads guys goes throwing haymakers.
Dana coming in at 300 pounds and greg Jackson in at 125 pounds
Funny comment, but do you know that one of Greg Jackson's jobs is training Cops? That nust be a mean 125 poiunds.
maybe gus would have
Nope.
I doubt it, Gus says he isn't ready or wanting a fight with Jon yet on a full training camp so I doubt he would take it on 8 days notice.
*take a fight with Silva on 8 days
perhaps deep in a lab in brazil they got silva's deam match! his clone!!
No thats your dream match
i like it but when asked who his dream match is he always says "my clone!"
Glover would have been a good matchup
Matt Hamill and Brandon Vera at the same time.
lol, you're just poking at a bees nest now 8))
Another question is, who do you think was asked to step up and fight Jones but turned it down?
Machida and Shogun were confirmed.
I'm guessing Gus was asked but he wants to wait till he;s ready so he would've said no.
Not sure who else?
I wouldn't be surprised if they asked Vera since he was somehow fighting for a title shot in his last fight... even though he had one win in almost 3 years....
Man I would love to see Silva vs Vera at 205, I think that would be a hell of a fight that would give both guys a chance to show off their sick stand up. Although that would likely mean Vera losing and getting cut....
James Irvin.
James Toney!!
Fedor at LHW-beat ya to it M1, Facepolm-ish!!!
I'd like to see Vitor vs Silva or even...
Chael vs Silva 3 :D
other than that...Mankind vs Silva
What you can expect from weight class who allowed for karate guy to be champion? From now we can expect on ruined events. Chael was right this weight class sucks.
None.....and stop talking about UFC 151, it's over with.