(Sorry guys, but this shitty Photoshop is as close as we’ll get to seeing these two face off. / Image via MMAMania)
Considering how many times Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have told us that they’ll never fight each other, most reasonable people would have given up hope on that particular fantasy-match by now. Of course, UFC president Dana White is not exactly known for being reasonable. Asked by a fan on Twitter yesterday if Jones vs. Silva would ever happen, Dana replied “it will.”
That simple phrase — seemingly based on nothing other than his own desire to promote the fight, and his long-standing belief that any fighter can be convinced to do anything if you put enough money in front of them — resulted in a predictable firestorm on twitter. There were the gullible UFC-marks who expressed their excitement for the match as if it was already booked, and the detractors who questioned if Dana could actually put it together.
Props to Reddit/MMA for capturing part of the ensuing tantrum…
Once again: If you doubt anything Dana says, you can pretty much eat a dick, even if you’re a paying customer. And how do you think Jones and Silva would feel if they heard White making promises about their careers that completely contradict their wishes? Can the UFC really force them to fight? It’s stuff like this that makes me sympathize with Bones’s “piece of meat” comment. Treating employees like they’re your property is a pretty reliable way to ensure that they won’t remain loyal to you.