Among the spectators watching the UFC 147 event in person or at home was “The Phenom” Vitor Belfort. Originally scheduled to rematch Wanderlei Silva after coaching against one another on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil, Belfort was forced out of action due to a broken hand.
UFC President Dana White was asked about the possibility of matching Silva and Belfort up again and was quick to put a stop to that. MMAWeekly has the explanation.
“(Vitor’s next fight) It will not be against Wanderlei, he just lost tonight. When Vitor heels up, we will see what happens and go from there,” White stated when speaking to Fuel TV following the fights.
It appears with that method of thinking that Silva will have to win at least one more fight to put an end to his rivalry with Belfort. Belfort will be on the shelf for some time so Silva will have time to grab another victory and set up the rematch once more but should the UFC even consider it?
Speaking from a fan’s perspective I wouldn’t hesitate to put this fight together. Neither man disappoints MMA fans with his performance and they are both among the most popular fighters in MMA history, let alone in current times.
It could also mean a return to “Axe Murderer” form for Silva as Belfort clearly provides more than enough motivation for Silva to go into beast mode.
Of course the fight would be exciting and would be a hit with Brazilian MMA fans, an unbiased opinion has to lead fans to the notion that this fight doesn’t need to happen.
Belfort is still considered a top-10, maybe even top-five level fighter. Silva is nowhere near that stature even after the gutsy performance at UFC 147. Although both men are considered seasoned veterans, Belfort’s chin and brain do not have the miles that Silva’s do.
Belfort still has some of the most explosive hands and devastating power in the division. Silva still has the power to floor people as well but in a “shot for shot” contest like this would surely turn into, I have to believe Belfort has the edge. And nobody wants to see Silva laying motionless on a canvass once more.
The fight makes sense as a last bout for Silva as he wants to erase that terrible loss to Belfort earlier in his career but makes little sense for Belfort as he’s still considered “in the mix.”
If Belfort comes back and underperforms in his next fight then the UFC should at least consider pairing the two men up once more. It’d be a great co-main event or even a good main event fight for a free TV card but they shouldn’t expect fans to willingly drop $50 to see this fight.
Both men may be nearing the end of their careers but Belfort can still contend with the top dogs at 185 pounds while Silva simply can’t. If the UFC wants to get into the business of novelty fights then it makes sense to put this fight together once more. Otherwise, the UFC should simply move on from the notion.
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