Hector Lombard’s conqueror, Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch, has joined that exquisite clique of fighters vying for a showdown with UFC 185-pound linchpin Anderson Silva.
In true Chris Weidman style, Boetsch claims he possesses the requisite skill set to submit the perennial champion.
For me, when a guy runs his mouth and there’s high expectations, it’s part of fighting. I’ve find that I’m kind of the opposite of that. I wanna perform, and maybe that’s why I’m not on the radar, and everybody’s not talking about me. But, if I beat enough people, it’s gonna be hard to ignore me, and it’s gonna be hard to deny me that title shot. I’m not sure who they’re gonna put in front of me, after a win over Hector, after a win over Okami, but whoever they put in front of me, next, I’ll get the win. I think I match up great (with Anderson Silva). He struggles with wrestlers, and I’m a wrestler that also can do a lot of damage with my fists and kicks and submissions. I haven’t been showing my submission game much, but we’ll save that for the world championship. If I need to submit Anderson Silva, I know I can (via Inside MMA, h/t MMAMania.com).
Belief in one’s self is a great human characteristic, but seriously? This coming from a guy who just about scraped passed Lombard?
In the history of the Zuffa-based promotion, has there ever been a UFC champion called out somewhat willy-nilly, as has been the case with the 37-year-old Brazilian?
To the best of my knowledge—no.
However, it seems to be in vogue these days for the man who wears 12 pounds of gold strapped around his waist.
West Linn, Ore.’s, finest mouthpiece, Chael.P Sonnen, first started the trend and look where that got him—a second-round blitzkrieg.
Prior to Sonnen’s divine retribution, Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort, against his better judgement, elected to throw hands with his one-time friend and training colleague, but ended up as a highlight reel for wannabe Bruce Lee impersonators.
Former training partner Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz joined the Silva chorus, and he too threw his hat in the Octagon. His challenge was nonetheless inconsequential, as the Wrecking Machine got wrecked before “The Spider” spun his web—“The All-American” Weidman emphatically saw to that.
Following his success against the aforementioned Munoz, Weidman upped the verbal ante on his earlier promise of finishing Silva with a full camp.
That said, he just might get that opportunity sooner rather than later, given that Bellator import Lombard flunked on his first UFC outing.
Two other would-be contenders in the guise of Alan “The Talent” Belcher and Michael “The Count” Bisping also decided to follow suit, and like the rest before them, saw fit to harangue Silva for a tilt at UFC glory.
The odds of these fights coming to fruition more or less rest on several factors:
The outcome of their respective matches (Bisping locks horns with Brian Stann at UFC 152, while Weidman and Belcher thus far have nothing in the offing).
It also depends on whether Silva decides to take a self-imposed furlough for six months or more.
And finally, from the UFC’s perspective and a business standpoint, will the matchups have enough pay-per-view clout to generate interest?
With that in mind, we’ll wait with bated breath for the next combatant to come out of the woodwork and vocalize his credentials for knocking Silva off his lofty perch and/or stake a claim as being meritorious of the No. 1 contender status.
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