Silva wants a super-fight after UFC 162
Anderson Silva recently signed a 10-figth deal that will likely carry the UFC’s longtime middleweight champ well into his forties if he fulfills it.
The fights fans most want to see most would be bouts against the elite from other weight divisions like Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre --- the sooner the better.
“I hope I’ll be able to fight all 10 fights in that deal,” Silva told FOX Sports through an interpreter. “In what weight class, we’ll have to wait and see. My focus has been on (Chris) Weidman. I’ll worry about the rest after this fight.”
No, Silva said he’s not looking ahead to any “super fights” or even a bout against former boxing champ Roy Jones Jr. He’ll take a UFC 162 victory at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday---- a win that would stretch his record title defenses to 11 and keep his UFC record flawless --- for now.
“What motivates me is my will and desire to fight,” Silva said. “I love the sport. I respect anybody who takes up this sport and has the courage to go inside the cage and fight.”
Weidman is actually a trendy pick to defeat Silva, a rarity during Silva’s reign in the middleweight division that started in 2006. Silva remains a favorite at Las Vegans sports books, but not by some of his previous margins.
“Weidman has been wanting this fight for a while, so I’m sure he is going to show (on Saturday) how bad he really wants this,” Silva said on recent conference call with reporters. “And, for me, (the goal) is to go out there --- win or lose --- do my job and return home to my kids in one piece.”
UFC president Dana White told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that Silva indeed wants to fight either light heavyweight champ Jon Jones or welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre.
“Anderson Silva wants a super fight, either way,” White said.
And a new contender for the super fight may be Roy Jones Jr., who held several different belts in a his boxing career. White said Jones will be a guest of his on Saturday.
“It makes no sense to me,” White said of a bout between Silva and Jones, “It’s something Anderson wants to do.”
White shrugged when asked if Anderson wants to take on Jones in the Octagon or in a boxing match.
“There are lot of possibilities of different things that could happen, but that’s a fight that I have always wanted,” Silva said. “It’s a fight that I still want and we’re going to have to how everything plays out.”
In the very short term, Weidman gives Silva a challenge. Weidman is highly adaptable fighter with a wrestling background, a ground game that he may use to keep Silva off-balance during a fight scheduled to go five rounds.
There was a lot of talk Thursday about how Silva is a young 38. But many peers --- even younger than him --- have turned to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for a late-career boost. It’s not something Silva said he’d consider.
“I’m feeling good and things are going well,” Silva said. “I have never felt I needed to use any (performance-enhancing) substances. I have never used those substances. I just train hard and eat healthy. I don’t want to do anything that can affect me after my career.”
A loss on Saturday means an automatic rematch, White said. A victory and Silva can look for a new challenge, maybe one of those super fights.
“Everything is a possibility,” Silva said. “It’s going to come down to my willpower and desire to still be fighting. I have a lot of other things I want to do. I have a lot of other desire. One of those is fighting Roy Jones. We are just going to have to see how things work out in the next few fights.”
