Dana White addresses a potential showdown that would see a clash of titans between Conor McGregor and Anderson Silva. It appears that this is a mutual feeling as McGregor expressed interest in fighting Silva while promoting his fight at UFC 229. The reason that he wants this fight with Silva is due to him seeing […]
The reason that he wants this fight with Silva is due to him seeing him as an MMA legend. Also, back in October, Silva made it known that he thinks he should fight McGregor next and that the UFC president should consider making the fight happen.
Well, now, White is going to think about booking that fight inside of the Octagon. A fight between the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion and former UFC middleweight title holder is one that could sell well.
“Yes, definitely possible,” White told reporters during a post-fight media scrum (H/T to Bloody Elbow). “We’re still working on that card. Tuesday, we’ll have a matchmaking meeting, and I’ll have to look at it and figure it out.”
It should be noted that Donald Cerrone has been pitching for a fight against McGregor for months and appears to be set for this Summer. However, anything and everything can change under the UFC banner.
An MMA legend is more than willing to bet in a large way should the UFC make a fight between Anderson Silva and Conor McGregor inside of the Octagon. That Legend is Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who is supporting his Brazilian jiu-jitsu student.
Nogueira has fought all of the top fighters in his era. To say that Nogueira has had several wars in his career would be an understatement. As a result, he has taken his fair share of damage. He has sustained several injuries in his career and even gone on record by stating he’s had a total of 22 surgeries.
During a recent interview with Combate, ‘Big Nog,’ he stated that he would bet his house on Silva. The former UFC and Pride FC champion believes it would make for an incredible fight.
“I think it’s a super fight!” Nogueira said. “Conor McGregor knows how to control distance well, but Anderson does it like nobody else. Derek Brunson is aggressive, knows how to close the distance, but couldn’t do anything against Anderson.”
He believes that ‘The Spider’s’ grappling skills would be the biggest obstacle for the former UFC middleweight champion.
“The grappling aspect would be Anderson’s biggest obstacle. It would be a beautiful fight between two talented athletes who know how to punch and kick.”
The MMA Legend went as far as predicting that Silva would knock out the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion.
“Anderson can get to 176 pounds, and McGregor would have to pump some iron,” he added. “I would bet my house and car on Anderson, he would knock him out. Anderson masters distance like nobody else.”
Anderson Silva lobbies to fight Conor McGregor next, which in his mind should be at catchweight.
It appears that this is a mutual feeling as McGregor expressed interest in fighting Silva earlier this month while promoting his fight at UFC 229. The reason that he wants this fight with Silva is due to him seeing him as an MMA legend.
The former UFC middleweight champion was pulled from his bout against Kelvin Gastelum at the UFC Fight Night 122 event last year after he was flagged by USADA. For his latest failed test, he received a one-year suspension from USADA dating back to October of 2017. Now, he’s eligible to resume his career.
During a recent interview, Silva made it known that he thinks he should fight McGregor next and that UFC president Dana White should consider making the fight happen.
“I’m waiting,” the former UFC middleweight champion told TMZ Sports (H/T to MMAJunkie). “Because I accept the challenge for Conor. I think (UFC president Dana White needs) to think about this. Because it’s two big guys in this sport. Two big names – yes, absolutely, two big legends. And, why not?”
Silva continued by stating that this fight is not about a weight class but rather a super fight.
“I think 180 for me is good,” Silva said. “I think to Conor, (it’s good) too. Because it’s a super fight, it’s not about weight class.”
He also believes that a rematch between McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov would not be about the money but rather about it being a mixed martial arts challenge.
“Let me tell you something very important: It’s not about money, Conor,” Silva said. “It’s about martial arts challenge.”
Until July of 2013, Anderson Silva was widely considered the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Now, nearly four years later, the former middleweight king hasn’t tasted victory since UFC 153. Against the heavy underdog Chris Weidman, ‘The Spider’ was knocked out cold for the first time in his career. Again meeting Weidman at UFC 168,
Until July of 2013, Anderson Silva was widely considered the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Now, nearly four years later, the former middleweight king hasn’t tasted victory since UFC 153. Against the heavy underdog Chris Weidman, ‘The Spider’ was knocked out cold for the first time in his career. Again meeting Weidman at UFC 168, Silva suffered a broken leg. With his career in the balance, the Brazilian icon was absent for a year. Although he defeated Nick Diaz at UFC 183, the result was overturned when Silva popped for steroids.
Tasting 2016 defeats to Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier, Silva’s illustrious win streak seemed a lifetime ago. Had the fight game moved on without ‘The Spider?’ Now 41 years old, Silva will again try to turn back the clock, facing Corey Anderson at UFC 208. During this recent interview with Globo, the ex-champ made a very interesting call out. Proving he is still up to speed on current affairs, the 42-fight veteran revealed he wants to fight outside the rankings.
Silva Wants McGregor
Keeping with the current trend of ‘money fights,’ Silva said he wants to punch Conor McGregor before retiring from MMA:
“Now, [as an] old man, I’m starting to challenge everyone. Oh, I want to hit that dwarf. What is the boy’s name? Really…McGregor? It is not provocation. It’s just that I forget, I’m old. Old men know what it’s like. I have this urge to test myself against him. I think he’s a guy who has an unusual ability. I do not know if he would reach a weight of 81, 82 kg, which is the weight I can get. But it’s a guy I’d like to test myself before I end my career. I think it would be a great fight for the world of fights and UFC history.”
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Thoughts
Given the amount contenders at lightweight, would this be a fight that makes sense for McGregor? With recent challenges from just about anyone and everyone, it looks like a queue is forming for the absent Irishman.
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has proven to be one of the most active fighters recently, at least on social media. ‘The Notorious’ has been appealing his removal from UFC 200 since a number of strange events led to him being pulled from his rematch with Nate Diaz. It’s all spiralled in to a very
UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor has proven to be one of the most active fighters recently, at least on social media. ‘The Notorious’ has been appealing his removal from UFC 200 since a number of strange events led to him being pulled from his rematch with Nate Diaz. It’s all spiralled in to a very strange stand off between McGregor and the UFC, after refusing to attend the initial press conference for the July 9 PPV bonanza, the brash Irishman has been arguing the toss with the promotion over his contractual stipulations.
Oct 24, 2014; Rio de Janeiro, BRAZIL; Conor McGregor interacts with fans during a Q&A session before weigh-ins for UFC 179 at Ginasio do Maracanazinho. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports
Taking to Twitter this week once again, McGregor went on a tirade like few before hi. We are used to seeing ‘The Notorious’ talk trash to his opponents, but this time he was arguing with his followers social media. In a number of veiled insults to Jon Jones, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather and the UFC McGregor came across as frustrated to say the least.
Amid all this madness, Nate Diaz remained typically cool headed, simply using the term ‘white belt’ when Conor McGregor claimed he ‘controlled and swept’ Diaz on the ground at UFC 196. The irony in the fact Diaz submitted McGregor in the firs ground exchange is more than apparent.
So where is Conor McGregor’s head right now? In the clouds, or consumed by his pride perhaps? The truth is, now that he isn’t communicating aside from social media and is on the UFC’s naughty list, we don’t really know. In new training footage it looks a lot like ‘The Notorious’ is still training for UFC 200.
Now he’s gone one step further, making a bold prediction for the rematch with Diaz…
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva says he’s been there before… It would be a gross understatement to say it’s been a weird couple of weeks in the mixed martial arts world. In fact, it’s been quite bizarre. UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, as it always seems to be, is the main focus of hot
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva says he’s been there before…
It would be a gross understatement to say it’s been a weird couple of weeks in the mixed martial arts world. In fact, it’s been quite bizarre. UFC featherweight champion Conor McGregor, as it always seems to be, is the main focus of hot debate right now. It all stemmed from his removal from his UFC 200 rematch with Nate Diaz because the Irish striker refused to attend the initial part of the media tour for the event. Since then it’s been a rollercoaster of cryptic Tweets and false announcements of retirement and reinstatement, and an overall feeling of a large rift between ‘The Notorious’ and his employers.
With both sides standing firm in their opposing stances, it looks as though our original thoughts of a pro wrestling type storyline may have been way off, and in fact it’s something far more legitimate. McGregor, just like many others in the past, clearly feels underpaid by the UFC and, in an odd turn of events, could actually massively aid many future fighters with his current situation. Not to make him a martyr of course, but we’ve been saying for a long time that fighters should be paid more, just this time he’s the highest paid fighter in UFC history.
Whether he’ll ever get the chance to avenge his loss to Nate Diaz at UFC 196 is debatable, but even more up in the air is the featherweight title, which McGregor snatched from Jose Aldo at UFC 194. Since winning the title last December, fights with top contenders like the ex-champ ad Frankie Edgar have fallen by the wayside for the welterweight burner with Diaz and subsequent rematch booking that eventually fell apart.
