redmanbjj
03-08-2012, 15:23
http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/3/3216783/dana-white-lorenzo-fertitta-georges-st-pierre-anderson-silva-ufc
Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta hint at 'GSP' vs. Silva 'superfight'http://cdn1.sbnation.com/profile_images/439405/me_tiny.jpg by Kevin Haggerty (http://www.sbnation.com/users/Kevin%20Haggerty) on Aug 3, 2012 2:15 AM EDT (http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/3/3216783/dana-white-lorenzo-fertitta-georges-st-pierre-anderson-silva-ufc) in UFC News (http://www.mmamania.com/section/ufc-news)
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27 days ago: Jul. 7, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Anderson Silva celebrates after defeating Chael Sonnen (not pictured) during a middleweight bout in UFC 148 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
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The term "superfight" has become one that gets thrown around a bit too loosely these days (especially when it comes to the laughable filler fights that Bellator Fighting Championships (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/bellator) gives their champions in between title defenses).
Lately, the term has been used most often by mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who foam at the mouth over the possibility of seeing Ultimate Fighting Championship (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/ufc) (UFC) Middleweight (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/middleweight) Champion Anderson Silva (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva) and Light Heavyweight (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/light-heavyweight) Champion Jon Jones (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones) throw down in the Octagon.
Unfortunately, that's a fight that "The Spider" and "Bones" seem to have no interest in. What does interest Silva, reportedly, is a "superfight" with another UFC champion -- Georges St. Pierre (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122591/georges-st-pierre), who holds the UFC's 170-pound title belt and has done so since August of 2007.
Recently, Silva's manager, Ed Soares, came out publicly decrying a potential fight versus Jones or the man that many consider to be the number one middleweight contender, Chris Weidman. (http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/1/3213791/anderson-silva-manager-nick-diaz-jon-jones-weidman) Soares did say that the Silva camp would be open to a fight versus "GSP." But, what do the big bosses think about all this?
Check out comments from UFC President Dana White and UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta on the potential "superfight," after the jump:
http://cdn0.sbnation.com/images/blog/star-divide.v59c7267.jpg
In an interview with MMAfighting.com (http://mmafighting.com/), White hinted that a fight between St. Pierre and Silva would make sense as a fight that would bring clarity to who may be the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world:
"Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva are both considered, and most people argue, I think finally, especially with the inactivity from GSP, that people now consider [Silva] the pound-for-pounder, but there was an argument there for a long time and if GSP hasn't been this inactive, maybe the debate would still be there. But he's definitely top two or three in the world, depending on who you ask. And if you were really going to make a fight like that, it would make more sense with Georges St Pierre, than it would with Diaz."
Dana continued to speculate on the matter, citing St. Pierre's upcoming fight with Carlos Condit (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122573/carlos-condit) at UFC 154 (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95856/ufc-154) in Montreal, Quebec, on Nov. 17, 2012 as a major contributing factor to which direction they decide to go:
"Maybe. That's what we're thinking. But anything can happen. It's always theoretical. You don't know what's going to happen, we'll see what happens in the future here, and maybe that is the fight we're gonna make. I can tell you this not theoretically."
When asked about whether or not he thought "GSP" versus Silva was possible, Lorenzo Fertitta responded with the following (via text message):
"We are very open to the idea of Anderson/'GSP.' If 'GSP' beats Condit, it's a fight we would like to make."
Don't get it twisted. "Open to" doesn't mean it's happening, but it's an encouraging sign for fans who have longed for this fight to happen for years.
It seems the only big hang-up now would be for St. Pierre to defeat Condit and unify the welterweight belts in November. (Because the interim belt is a real belt -- right?)
Also, it would need to be decided at what weight the fight would be fought. Presumably, St. Pierre would have to move up to 185-pounds and fight at middleweight, since a move down to 170-pounds for Silva would be nearly impossible. A catchweight fight at somewhere in between the two weight classes is also a possibility.
For now, it's all speculation, but MMAmania.com (http://mmamania.com/) will keep you posted of any new details as they emerge.
Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta hint at 'GSP' vs. Silva 'superfight'http://cdn1.sbnation.com/profile_images/439405/me_tiny.jpg by Kevin Haggerty (http://www.sbnation.com/users/Kevin%20Haggerty) on Aug 3, 2012 2:15 AM EDT (http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/3/3216783/dana-white-lorenzo-fertitta-georges-st-pierre-anderson-silva-ufc) in UFC News (http://www.mmamania.com/section/ufc-news)
http://cdn1.sbnation.com/images/icons/comment.v7bc9233.png 63 comments (http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/3/3216783/dana-white-lorenzo-fertitta-georges-st-pierre-anderson-silva-ufc#comments)
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http://cdn2.sbnation.com/entry_photo_images/4897115/20120707_mjr_su5_049_extra_large.jpg (http://www.mmamania.com/photos/dana-white-and-lorenzo-fertitta-hint-at-gsp-vs-silva-superfight)Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE - PresswireMore photos » (http://www.mmamania.com/photos/dana-white-and-lorenzo-fertitta-hint-at-gsp-vs-silva-superfight)
27 days ago: Jul. 7, 2012; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UFC fighter Anderson Silva celebrates after defeating Chael Sonnen (not pictured) during a middleweight bout in UFC 148 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE
Browse more photos » (http://www.mmamania.com/photos/dana-white-and-lorenzo-fertitta-hint-at-gsp-vs-silva-superfight)
The term "superfight" has become one that gets thrown around a bit too loosely these days (especially when it comes to the laughable filler fights that Bellator Fighting Championships (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/bellator) gives their champions in between title defenses).
Lately, the term has been used most often by mixed martial arts (MMA) fans who foam at the mouth over the possibility of seeing Ultimate Fighting Championship (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/promotion/ufc) (UFC) Middleweight (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/middleweight) Champion Anderson Silva (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122568/anderson-silva) and Light Heavyweight (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/light-heavyweight) Champion Jon Jones (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122514/jon-jones) throw down in the Octagon.
Unfortunately, that's a fight that "The Spider" and "Bones" seem to have no interest in. What does interest Silva, reportedly, is a "superfight" with another UFC champion -- Georges St. Pierre (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122591/georges-st-pierre), who holds the UFC's 170-pound title belt and has done so since August of 2007.
Recently, Silva's manager, Ed Soares, came out publicly decrying a potential fight versus Jones or the man that many consider to be the number one middleweight contender, Chris Weidman. (http://www.mmamania.com/2012/8/1/3213791/anderson-silva-manager-nick-diaz-jon-jones-weidman) Soares did say that the Silva camp would be open to a fight versus "GSP." But, what do the big bosses think about all this?
Check out comments from UFC President Dana White and UFC Chairman Lorenzo Fertitta on the potential "superfight," after the jump:
http://cdn0.sbnation.com/images/blog/star-divide.v59c7267.jpg
In an interview with MMAfighting.com (http://mmafighting.com/), White hinted that a fight between St. Pierre and Silva would make sense as a fight that would bring clarity to who may be the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world:
"Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva are both considered, and most people argue, I think finally, especially with the inactivity from GSP, that people now consider [Silva] the pound-for-pounder, but there was an argument there for a long time and if GSP hasn't been this inactive, maybe the debate would still be there. But he's definitely top two or three in the world, depending on who you ask. And if you were really going to make a fight like that, it would make more sense with Georges St Pierre, than it would with Diaz."
Dana continued to speculate on the matter, citing St. Pierre's upcoming fight with Carlos Condit (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fighter/122573/carlos-condit) at UFC 154 (http://www.sbnation.com/mma/fight-card/95856/ufc-154) in Montreal, Quebec, on Nov. 17, 2012 as a major contributing factor to which direction they decide to go:
"Maybe. That's what we're thinking. But anything can happen. It's always theoretical. You don't know what's going to happen, we'll see what happens in the future here, and maybe that is the fight we're gonna make. I can tell you this not theoretically."
When asked about whether or not he thought "GSP" versus Silva was possible, Lorenzo Fertitta responded with the following (via text message):
"We are very open to the idea of Anderson/'GSP.' If 'GSP' beats Condit, it's a fight we would like to make."
Don't get it twisted. "Open to" doesn't mean it's happening, but it's an encouraging sign for fans who have longed for this fight to happen for years.
It seems the only big hang-up now would be for St. Pierre to defeat Condit and unify the welterweight belts in November. (Because the interim belt is a real belt -- right?)
Also, it would need to be decided at what weight the fight would be fought. Presumably, St. Pierre would have to move up to 185-pounds and fight at middleweight, since a move down to 170-pounds for Silva would be nearly impossible. A catchweight fight at somewhere in between the two weight classes is also a possibility.
For now, it's all speculation, but MMAmania.com (http://mmamania.com/) will keep you posted of any new details as they emerge.