If you are like me who spent $44.95 to watch Anderson Silva clown around for five rounds at UFC 112 you were pretty irate after the show. I can’t say I’d never buy another Anderson Silva UFC show, but I’d sure think twice about it. UFC president Dana White agrees and he is not happy.
Dana White has been on the warpath against Anderson Silva following UFC 112. If there was anyone more disgusted who paid to see UFC 112 it was the guy getting paid to put UFC 112 together. To his credit, Dana White blasted Anderson Silva after the event. White confirmed that indeed he did give Anderson Silva’s management the belt because he was so angry about the fight. Dana White hasn’t been this angry after a main-event since, well Anderson Silva pulled similar shenanigans against Thale Leites.
Right or wrong, Dana White said after UFC 112 that he isn’t interested in seeing Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre. White feels that Anderson Silva doesn’t deserve such a big fight like that. I do believe that he has the fight on his radar for the future Whether you liked or hated Anderson Silva’s UFC 112 performance, I can’t imagine that anyone would pass up seeing Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre.
Dana White has stuck to his word and will not be making the Anderson Silva vs. GSP fight. Dana White said on Jim Rome’s television show that Chael Sonnen will likely be Anderson Silva’s next opponent for the UFC middleweight title. Dana White also said that he would cut Anderson Silva if he dances with Chael Sonnen.
“If he ever acts like that again in the ring, I will cut him. I don’t care if he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, I don’t care if he is the middleweight champion. I will cut him, absolutely.” – MMAFanhouse.com.
I am angry that I wasted money and a Saturday night on that garbage, but I would still watch Anderson Silva fight tomorrow if he was booked in for a fight in the UFC. I do think there are a few fights out there that would force Silva into a different situation. Chael Sonnen is not one of them. I don’t think he would clown around like that against Vitor Belfort.
Mysteriously, Vitor Belfort seems to have just disappeared from the equation. All of the talk has been towards either an Anderson Silva vs. GSP match and now Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen. Belfort vs. Silva has been canceled twice due to injuries. While I don’t think Belfort deserves a title fight, he is a striker and will punish Silva severely if Anderson clowns around with him. Yet his name was barely mentioned in any of the UFC post fight quotes.
Dana White has a short term problem here and he knows it. People are kidding themselves if they think that Anderson Silva has taken himself out of the marketplace. I think MMA fans casual or hardcore will still pay to see Anderson Silva on a UFC card if it is the right fight. Unfortunately they won’t pay to see him fight anyone that isn’t a superstar from this point forward. The days of paying to see Anderson Silva fight to just anyone are over. If Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen is Dana White’s way of making up the UFC 112 debacle up to the fans than I must say I am disappointed.
Be careful what you wish for UFC fans.
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