Wanderlei Silva wants ‘title fight’ with Dan Henderson

Wanderlei Silva’s future is uncertain since he decided to run away from a random test from Nevada Athletic Commission, but it doesn’t stop him from asking for fights.

Silva, who recently suggested a match-up with former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, now aims for a trilogy bout with fellow PRIDE star Dan Henderson.

“I want to be back soon for my 50th fight,” Silva said in an interview to Lance. “I would like it to be in a special event. It’s not new that I would like to face Belfort or Sonnen, but another guy that I would like to fight is Dan Henderson, and this fight is quite possible.”

Silva and Henderson fought for the first time in 2000. “Hendo” was making his PRIDE debut, and lost the bout via unanimous decision. Seven years later, Henderson took “The Axe Murderer’s” middleweight title with a third-round knockout.

“We’re tied 1-1 and a rubber match would be cool,” he said. “In my last fight at PRIDE, I lost my belt and never had the chance to rematch. If this fight happens now, I would even ask him to take the belt and the winner would keep it [laughs].”

There’s no word yet if the Brazilian will be suspended by the athletic commission for avoiding the drug test, but Silva doesn’t seem to worry about it. In fact, he says the UFC needs a big fight after so many cards with unknown fighters.

“I think that Wanderlei vs. Dan Henderson could happen anywhere,” he said. “If it’s in Brazil, it would be beautiful if it happens in a soccer stadium in Curitiba, which is my home. UFC does a lot of cards and sometimes you don’t even know who’s fighting, but when they look Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson, it sells well. A fight between champions has to be considered in a big show.”

Henderson quickly responded to Silva’s callout on Twitter.

“I’m good with it,” he wrote, “what do you guys think?”

Wanderlei Silva’s future is uncertain since he decided to run away from a random test from Nevada Athletic Commission, but it doesn’t stop him from asking for fights.

Silva, who recently suggested a match-up with former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, now aims for a trilogy bout with fellow PRIDE star Dan Henderson.

“I want to be back soon for my 50th fight,” Silva said in an interview to Lance. “I would like it to be in a special event. It’s not new that I would like to face Belfort or Sonnen, but another guy that I would like to fight is Dan Henderson, and this fight is quite possible.”

Silva and Henderson fought for the first time in 2000. “Hendo” was making his PRIDE debut, and lost the bout via unanimous decision. Seven years later, Henderson took “The Axe Murderer’s” middleweight title with a third-round knockout.

“We’re tied 1-1 and a rubber match would be cool,” he said. “In my last fight at PRIDE, I lost my belt and never had the chance to rematch. If this fight happens now, I would even ask him to take the belt and the winner would keep it [laughs].”

There’s no word yet if the Brazilian will be suspended by the athletic commission for avoiding the drug test, but Silva doesn’t seem to worry about it. In fact, he says the UFC needs a big fight after so many cards with unknown fighters.

“I think that Wanderlei vs. Dan Henderson could happen anywhere,” he said. “If it’s in Brazil, it would be beautiful if it happens in a soccer stadium in Curitiba, which is my home. UFC does a lot of cards and sometimes you don’t even know who’s fighting, but when they look Wanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson, it sells well. A fight between champions has to be considered in a big show.”

Henderson quickly responded to Silva’s callout on Twitter.

“I’m good with it,” he wrote, “what do you guys think?”