Once again, Bellator title shots are being questioned.
Rafael Silva, who was forced to withdraw from a bantamweight bout with Bellator champion Eduardo Dantas on March 7 with an injury, will have to wait a little longer as Joe Warren is set to get the next shot at the gold against Dantas, likely on May 2.
Silva, who won a tournament a month before Warren, already expected the decision. He won’t criticize them like Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, though.
“They announced that Warren would fight me or Eduardo on May 2, so I wasn’t surprised when they said he’s fight for the title before,” Silva told MMAFighting.com. “It’s complicated. I can’t do much about it. I’m back to training, but I have to wait a little longer to fight again. It’s complicated, but not surprising.”
“I’d be ready to fight (Dantas) on May 2, for sure,” he continued. “I got injured in January and couldn’t train for five or six weeks, but I’m back to training now and would be 100 percent to fight on May 2. It is what it is.”
“Morcego” will now wait and fight the winner of Dantas vs. Warren, and he’s not worried about ring rust.
“It took me a year to fight in Bellator after I signed the first contract,” he said. “I don’t know why I had to wait for so long, but it wasn’t a problem. After I first fought, I kept winning and won the tournament. Now I have to wait again, but it won’t be a problem. I’ll have to wait for seven or eight months, but it won’t be a problem.”
Riding a 13-fight win streak, including victories over Anthony Leone and Rodrigo Lima under the Bellator banner, Silva is confident that he has what it takes to beat Dantas or Warren, and he’s not sure that his countrymen will retain the title at Bellator 118.
“I’m better technically now, and I’m way better psychologically,” Silva said. “I’ll be ready for everything. I’ll do my job and I’ll get the title no matter who’s the champion.
“Leone won the first round (against Dantas) and the second was pretty close, but he made a mistake and gave him the neck,” he continued. “I believe Warren will use the same strategy. It’s a tough fight. One punch can end the fight, one mistake and you’re out. I thought Leone would be an easier fight for Eduardo, but he surprised me. I guess Warren will fight the same fight.”