It was like a duffel bag full of hundred dollar bills hit the ground, and at the moment of impact burst into flames.
That’s the picture that UFC president Dana White painted in the aftermath of UFC 162, with the duffel bag being the backward falling body of former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Speaking about Silva’s July 6 knockout loss to Chris Weidman, White said: “That fight cost Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones and Anderson Silva a lot of money. In those superfights, he was the link to both of them; so there you go.”
I’d have to disagree with those words. One loss does not define the career of Silva, and it certainly won’t cause fans to tune out if the UFC ever does decide to book a Silva versus St-Pierre or a Silva versus Jones superfight. And yes, those fights would still be superfights, title in hand for any of the fighters or not. Hell, the UFC tried to sell the Jose Aldo versus Frankie Edgar bout as a superfight.
It’s not a stretch to say that a fight between two of the best fighters to ever grace the Octagon would be a superfight. It is a stretch to say that Silva’s single UFC loss cost St-Pierre or Jones any amount of money.
One person who shares my opinion is Silva’s manager, Ed Soares.
Speaking to Sherdog Radio, Soares opined: “I think that’s ridiculous. I think the superfights are still on the table. I think right now the superfights are in the future, but right now what should be on everyone’s mind should be the rematch with Chris Weidman.”
Soares went on to say that with a win over Weidman in the December 28 rematch between champion and challenger, he saw no reason why the superfights couldn’t happen.
I’ll go one further.
Even with a loss to Weidman, those superfights could still happen.
The UFC has awarded title fights and main event fights to more than one fighter coming off multiple losses (hello, Chael Sonnen) based on that fighter’s ability to put fans in seats. There’s no way anyone can tell me that a main event between Silva—even coming off two losses—and St-Pierre or Jones isn’t a guaranteed money maker in gate and pay-per-view sales.
I’ve never been a fan of the superfight talk, but I’m smart enough to know that these fights aren’t off the table because Silva lost; they’re off the table due to the UFC’s inability to make them happen, for whatever reason.
Silva has nine fights left on his UFC deal. There’s no reason that one, or even two of them can’t be a fight with St-Pierre or Jones.
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