The Mac
12-12-2010, 09:02 PM
UFC president Dana White has a simple take on a potential superfight between UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (21-2 MMA, 15-2 UFC) and current middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva (27-4 MMA, 12-0 UFC).
If you want it, let's do it.
Following another dominating performance by St-Pierre in the featured matchup of Saturday's UFC 124 event, White said the Canadian superstar has nothing left to prove at 170 pounds; likewise for Silva at 185.
"Every time a guy goes in and fights, there's always somebody there," White said. "There's always going to be new guys popping up, but when do you say the division is finally [expletive] clean?
"There's still going to be guys there and guys that have won. I mean, it's about time we say both guys have earned their dues. They really have."
In White's mind, at least, Silva's 12-straight octagon wins make for the easiest sell.
"[Silva] is a guy that's wiped out an entire division," White said. "He really has. Anderson Silva, not only has he wiped out the 185-pound division, he also beat a couple of guys at 205.
"This guy has knocked off all the best guys. He hasn't lost a fight since 2006. It's almost 2011."
But White believes St-Pierre is in a similar position. Riding an eight-fight win streak bookended by victories over Josh Koscheck and featuring five-consecutive title defenses, St-Pierre is also in rarefied air, according to White.
"[St-Pierre] has cleaned out the division now," White said. "Georges St-Pierre has beaten everybody. He lost to (Matt) Serra, but he came back and avenged it. That's what it's all about for me.
"I don't like guys fighting each other at different weights until they've done what those two have done, and they've both done it."
For St-Pierre, the prospect is not one he takes lightly. If he makes the leap to 185 pounds, he wants to leave the welterweight division behind for good. He knows he'll need to pack on weight to compete in the middleweight division, and he believes trying to bounce between weightclasses is detrimental to one's timing as a fighter.
Silva, of course, currently has Vitor Belfort in February, and "The Phenom" is certainly not to be taken lightly. Meanwhile, St-Pierre has expressed his interest in fighting at April's UFC 131 event in Toronto, which would be a quick turnaround for Silva, even if he does get past Belfort.
Which leaves, perhaps, at least one more fight for St-Pierre at 170 pounds. On Saturday, White again confirmed that slot is Jake Shields' for the taking, and St-Pierre professed his interest in the matchup.
"I like watching [Shields] fight," St-Pierre said. "He's a very meticulous fighter. He's a very technical guy. He's a brilliant submission artist. I like to see him. He's one of the guy I like to see the most.
"He beat up guys at 170 and almost everybody at 185. He fights in both weightclasses. He's amazing."
Silva claims he may actually be able to drop below 185 pounds for a one-time blockbuster matchup with St-Pierre. White finds that incredible for the sometimes-light heavyweight, but he's certainly open to the idea.
Of course, fans would probably much prefer a five-round title affair than a three-round catchweight contest for the once-in-a-generation matchup of the world's top two fighters.
And it may just be Belfort and Shields standing in the way because White certainly isn't.
"If Georges said he was going to go to 185 and stay there, then it would be for the title," White told MMAjunkie.com "It would be a superfight for the 185-pound title.
"It's hard to say no. It's hard for me to say, 'This fight doesn't make sense.'"
If you want it, let's do it.
Following another dominating performance by St-Pierre in the featured matchup of Saturday's UFC 124 event, White said the Canadian superstar has nothing left to prove at 170 pounds; likewise for Silva at 185.
"Every time a guy goes in and fights, there's always somebody there," White said. "There's always going to be new guys popping up, but when do you say the division is finally [expletive] clean?
"There's still going to be guys there and guys that have won. I mean, it's about time we say both guys have earned their dues. They really have."
In White's mind, at least, Silva's 12-straight octagon wins make for the easiest sell.
"[Silva] is a guy that's wiped out an entire division," White said. "He really has. Anderson Silva, not only has he wiped out the 185-pound division, he also beat a couple of guys at 205.
"This guy has knocked off all the best guys. He hasn't lost a fight since 2006. It's almost 2011."
But White believes St-Pierre is in a similar position. Riding an eight-fight win streak bookended by victories over Josh Koscheck and featuring five-consecutive title defenses, St-Pierre is also in rarefied air, according to White.
"[St-Pierre] has cleaned out the division now," White said. "Georges St-Pierre has beaten everybody. He lost to (Matt) Serra, but he came back and avenged it. That's what it's all about for me.
"I don't like guys fighting each other at different weights until they've done what those two have done, and they've both done it."
For St-Pierre, the prospect is not one he takes lightly. If he makes the leap to 185 pounds, he wants to leave the welterweight division behind for good. He knows he'll need to pack on weight to compete in the middleweight division, and he believes trying to bounce between weightclasses is detrimental to one's timing as a fighter.
Silva, of course, currently has Vitor Belfort in February, and "The Phenom" is certainly not to be taken lightly. Meanwhile, St-Pierre has expressed his interest in fighting at April's UFC 131 event in Toronto, which would be a quick turnaround for Silva, even if he does get past Belfort.
Which leaves, perhaps, at least one more fight for St-Pierre at 170 pounds. On Saturday, White again confirmed that slot is Jake Shields' for the taking, and St-Pierre professed his interest in the matchup.
"I like watching [Shields] fight," St-Pierre said. "He's a very meticulous fighter. He's a very technical guy. He's a brilliant submission artist. I like to see him. He's one of the guy I like to see the most.
"He beat up guys at 170 and almost everybody at 185. He fights in both weightclasses. He's amazing."
Silva claims he may actually be able to drop below 185 pounds for a one-time blockbuster matchup with St-Pierre. White finds that incredible for the sometimes-light heavyweight, but he's certainly open to the idea.
Of course, fans would probably much prefer a five-round title affair than a three-round catchweight contest for the once-in-a-generation matchup of the world's top two fighters.
And it may just be Belfort and Shields standing in the way because White certainly isn't.
"If Georges said he was going to go to 185 and stay there, then it would be for the title," White told MMAjunkie.com "It would be a superfight for the 185-pound title.
"It's hard to say no. It's hard for me to say, 'This fight doesn't make sense.'"