Travicity
08-07-2010, 04:52 AM
Source: MMAJunkie
Following UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva's confusing UFC 112 performance against Demian Maia this past April, UFC boss Dana White promised fans and media that if "The Spider" were ever to put on a performance similar to that again, that he would cut the Brazilian regardless of his championship status. Although several months have passed and White has had time to let his temper cool, he told MMAJunkie this past Thursday that he has not changed his stance on possibly cutting one of the best mixed martial artists to ever compete.
"Lots of guys are going to have nights where they don't have a good performance," White said. "It's not about that."
Silva's UFC 112 title defense began the way many expected it to, "The Spider" embarrassed his challenger by pulling off techniques that most could not even conceive; he shucked, jived, struck with inhuman accuracy and shrugged off takedowns. Things began to devolve sometime in the third round though, when Silva chose to focus more on shucking and jiving than he did on actually fighting. This, White says, is what will earn the champ a pink slip should it be repeated.
"It's about acting like a lunatic," White said. "If he ever goes out and acts like a nut, like he did [at UFC 112], yes, I would cut him."
Just in case anyone took Silva's next challenger, Chael Sonnen, at his word when, during one of his now infamous anti-Silva rants, he all but guaranteed that White plans to cut Silva after this Saturday, White laughed off the notion that he would inform Sonnen of that information.
"Because Chael and I have talked at length about this in meetings," he joked.
It seems that Silva's job security is in his own hands when he takes on Sonnen this Saturday night in the main event of UFC 117, we will see then if that (coupled with Sonnen's verbal barrage) will be enough to motivate Silva into performing up to his capabilities.
WI
Following UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva's confusing UFC 112 performance against Demian Maia this past April, UFC boss Dana White promised fans and media that if "The Spider" were ever to put on a performance similar to that again, that he would cut the Brazilian regardless of his championship status. Although several months have passed and White has had time to let his temper cool, he told MMAJunkie this past Thursday that he has not changed his stance on possibly cutting one of the best mixed martial artists to ever compete.
"Lots of guys are going to have nights where they don't have a good performance," White said. "It's not about that."
Silva's UFC 112 title defense began the way many expected it to, "The Spider" embarrassed his challenger by pulling off techniques that most could not even conceive; he shucked, jived, struck with inhuman accuracy and shrugged off takedowns. Things began to devolve sometime in the third round though, when Silva chose to focus more on shucking and jiving than he did on actually fighting. This, White says, is what will earn the champ a pink slip should it be repeated.
"It's about acting like a lunatic," White said. "If he ever goes out and acts like a nut, like he did [at UFC 112], yes, I would cut him."
Just in case anyone took Silva's next challenger, Chael Sonnen, at his word when, during one of his now infamous anti-Silva rants, he all but guaranteed that White plans to cut Silva after this Saturday, White laughed off the notion that he would inform Sonnen of that information.
"Because Chael and I have talked at length about this in meetings," he joked.
It seems that Silva's job security is in his own hands when he takes on Sonnen this Saturday night in the main event of UFC 117, we will see then if that (coupled with Sonnen's verbal barrage) will be enough to motivate Silva into performing up to his capabilities.
WI