LAS VEGAS — Anderson Silva has a chance to earn another middleweight title shot if he beats Nick Diaz, according to UFC president Dana White. Chris Weidman’s coach, Ray Longo, finds that to be a bizarre decision.
He has no interest in seeing Silva take on Weidman, the champion, ever again.
“I don’t want to see the fight,” Longo told MMAFighting.com. “Me personally as a trainer, I don’t want to see the fight. And the guy is getting older. At this point, you have nothing to prove. I don’t get it. I don’t want to see the guy get hurt. You’re putting a talented, one of the greatest of all time, up against a strong, huge, fierce fighter. It’s not like Weidman is deficient in any area. He’s proven it.”
The 39-year-old Silva (33-6) held the title for seven years before being dethroned by Weidman in July 2013 at UFC 162. Weidman knocked him out in the second round. In December 2013 at UFC 168, Weidman beat Silva when Silva’s leg broke attempting a kick in the second round. This fight against Diaz on Saturday at UFC 183 here at MGM Grand is Silva’s first bout since then.
Longo doesn’t quite understand the UFC’s thinking in giving Silva another shot at the title if he wins.
“I don’t get it,” Longo said. “And it should be vice versa. If Nick Diaz wins, then he should do it. I don’t like when they say one guy is gonna get it and one guy’s not.”
Weidman himself can’t worry about Silva at this point. He has a fight with Vitor Belfort coming up at UFC 184 on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles. Longo said Weidman has brought in his usual training partners like Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and has also added in Ed Ruth, one of the greatest collegiate wrestlers of all time.
Longo is in town to corner Al Iaquinta, another top fighter from the Serra-Longo camp. Iaquinta meets Joe Lauzon on the UFC 183 main card. He could be the next top contender to come out of the Long Island gym. They also have top prospect Aljamain Sterling, whom Longo feels will be a champion at bantamweight in the UFC.
All those guys have someone to look up to in Weidman.
“He’s the pinnacle,” Longo said. “He puts it all together. The mental side of this game can never be underestimated and Weidman is probably the toughest guy I’ve ever known. And when you’re mentally tough and you have the attributes to back it up, it just makes for a vicious guy.”
Which is one of the reasons Longo isn’t interested in seeing Silva fight him again.