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UFC 153: Who Will Emerge as Anderson Silva’s Next Opponent at Middleweight?

Win or lose at UFC 153 this weekend, Anderson Silva will still be UFC middleweight champion. Due to his three round main event against Stephan Bonnar taking place in the light heavyweight division, Silva has left the UFC’s middleweight contenders…

Win or lose at UFC 153 this weekend, Anderson Silva will still be UFC middleweight champion.

Due to his three round main event against Stephan Bonnar taking place in the light heavyweight division, Silva has left the UFC’s middleweight contenders trapped in limbo for a few months, an unfortunate development in a division that has finally seen some new blood creep into the title picture over the last year.

The middleweight division feels fresh for the first time in years, and that’s largely thanks to Silva’s stoppage win over Chael Sonnen at UFC 148.

Ever since the first fight between “The Spider” and Sonnen at UFC 117, there’s been a small chink in Silva’s armor of invincibility

Sonnen dominated that fight in virtually all aspects of the game for 4.5 rounds and it was the first time in Silva’s UFC career that he had shown any form of vulnerability.

In Silva’s subsequent bouts against Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami, the champion made sure to remind us what had made him the greatest fighter on the planet to begin with, but in the back of everyone’s mind was Chael Sonnen and his slow rise back to the top of the division.

With Sonnen out of the way both Silva and the fans are allowed to finally look at what the rest of the division has to offer, and luckily for the UFC, there have been some fighters putting in the work necessary to earn themselves a crack at the belt.

At the top of the list is longtime middleweight contender Michael Bisping.

Bisping has been considered a top-tier fighter for quite a while now, but he has always lacked the quality wins that made him a true threat for the title at 185.

With wins over two fan favorites in Jason “Mayhem” Miller and Brian Stann sandwiching a controversial decision loss to Sonnen, Bisping finally has a resume worthy enough to throw his name into the mix for a title shot.

Due to Bisping’s popularity he may be the opponent that makes the most sense for Silva at this point, and if the UFC was able to book the fight in Bisping’s home country of England it would be a huge boost to an already growing MMA community.

But as great as a potential fight with Bisping has to sound to the UFC, they can’t ignore the quick and brutal rise of Chris Weidman.

The New York based prospect has been destroying competition during his five-fight Octagon career, and with the exception of a decision win over Demian Maia in a fight that Weidman took on 11 days notice, “The All American” has been impressive in every single bout he’s been a part of.

His complete annihilation of Mark Munoz in July was enough to move him into the top level of the division, but it wasn’t quite enough to earn him a shot at the belt, and Weidman is set to fight Tim Boetsch at UFC 155 in December.

Either Bisping or Weidman is going to get the next shot at Anderson Silva for the middleweight belt, and it may end up being Silva that ultimately decides which fighter is worthy.

If Silva decides he wants to take a bit of a break following his fight this weekend, expect the UFC to match up Bisping with the winner of the Weidman/Boetsch bout as soon as possible.

If Weidman is able to work his way into that fight, he’ll be in a legitimate No. 1 contenders bout, and he’ll have a chance at earning his title opportunity by next summer.

However, if Silva decides to stay active and fight in early 2013, I think it’s time for the UFC to pull the trigger on a Silva-Bisping title fight.

Bisping is one of the most popular fighters on the UFC’s roster, and it seems that it’s finally time to give one of the UFC’s most consistent and loyal fighters a shot at the belt.

If he’s able to somehow find a way to dethrone Silva, Bisping is a big enough attraction that he would keep the division interesting, and the influx of new contenders could make for a very entertaining few years in the middleweight class.

If Silva wins, well then the expected happened.

The UFC can keep on promoting Silva as the “baddest man on the planet,” he’ll have another well known fighter to put on his resume, and he can keep on defending his belt until someone is lucky enough to wrestle it away. Pun intended.

There’s legitimately no downside to a title fight between Michael Bisping and Anderson Silva, and if Silva’s ready to fight again in the early half of 2013 then the fight needs to happen.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Michael Bisping vs. Chris Weidman: Head to Toe Breakdown

Anderson Silva is back in action on Saturday night, but it will not be to defend his UFC Middleweight Championship. It is unlikely that he defends the belt again until the spring of 2013 or later. There is also the possibility of a superfight with Geor…

Standing at the top of the list of contenders are Michael Bisping and Chris Weidman. Depending on how the schedule plays out, and if Weidman defeats Tim Boetsch in December, these two men may have to meet in a title eliminator.

Bisping is coming off of a victory over Brian Stann at UFC 152, and Weidman continued his undefeated record versus Mark Munoz in July.

Both men want a title shot, but with Silva unavailable to defend, that could force them into the Octagon against one another to determine the absolute No. 1 contender.

Here’s a look at the potential title elimination matchup.

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B/R Official Rankings for October: The Top 10 Middleweights in MMA

In August, the middleweight division sent two of it’s biggest stars to the light heavyweight division.This move shook up the rankings big time, as Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort were members of the Top Five.The divisional action didn’t slow down for on…

In August, the middleweight division sent two of it’s biggest stars to the light heavyweight division.

This move shook up the rankings big time, as Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort were members of the Top Five.

The divisional action didn’t slow down for one second in September, as UFC Champion Anderson Silva agreed to a light heavyweight fight. We witnessed a potential title eliminator between Michael Bisping and Brian Stann, and a huge battle between Chris Weidman and Tim Boetsch was booked for December.

Let’s take a look at how the rankings were affected by such a big month for the division. This is the official Bleacher Report MMA rankings of MMA’s middleweight division for the month of October 2012.

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Boetsch Leaves the Talking to Others, Believes Hard Work Will Earn Title Shot

Over the past several years, the fight business has turned into a game of public call-outs and media dustups. Fighters have used social media and interviews to raise their profiles in order to boost themselves up the divisional pecking order. While thi…

The Maine native believes hard work and staying on the grind is the answer. Since dropping to the middleweight division, “The Barbarian” has been on a tear, as he has notched four consecutive victories inside the Octagon. With each win, the soon-to-be father of three has taken one step closer to his ultimate goal of facing 185-pound king Anderson Silva. Before he can make the dream a reality, he will have to overcome former prospect turned rising star Chris Weidman.

The two men are slated to square off at UFC 155. Despite the recent chatter about who deserves to have the next title shot, Boetsch believes his hard work will pay off, and the bout with Weidman will ultimately decide who is next.

“Things are kind of interesting right now in the division,” Boetsch told Bleacher Report. “The fights speak for themselves and there are a couple of guys who are real standouts. It just so happens those two guys are fighting on December 29 at UFC 155 and we’ll decide who the number one contender is.

“I’m going to do the hard work and it will get me where I need to be. A true champion can beat everyone out there. A true champion is determined. I’ve certainly had a tough few fights and this next one is going to be the toughest yet. With that being said, that is the challenge. It is a part of wanting to be the best fighter in the world.

“You don’t want to just go out there and beat up all the low level guys. For me, the awesome part about this sport is that I’m now fighting the best guys in the world and those are the guys I wanting to be competing against. I think Chris Weidman is the same way where he wants to do whatever it takes and battle his way to the top to get his shot. I think it is going to make for an amazing fight on December 29.”

Boetsch saw his stock rise as he found victory in his first three outings in the middleweight division. But it was his most recent victory over former Bellator champion Hector Lombard which put him squarely into the division’s upper tier and on a collision course with Weidman.

The undefeated upstart from Long Island has been laying his own path of destruction, as he has rolled off five straight victories of his own since debuting in the UFC last March. As impressive as Weidman has looked, Boetsch feels his power and heart will make the difference when the two men lock up.

“I think the fight with Weidman is going to be a very good fight but I definitely expect to be victorious,” Boetsch said. “I’m not taking anything away from Chris. He’s a tough dude and the next toughest guy in the weight class. It’s going to be a hard fought fight for sure. I believe I’m a tough fight for anyone. I’m decent everywhere and I don’t give up. I train hard and go in there with a very strong will to win. I’m getting better every fight.

“Power is definitely one of the advantages I have over some of the other middleweights out there. I’m literally one punch away from changing the entire dynamic of a fight. I think I showed that in my bout with Okami. I was down two rounds to nothing, landed a couple of clean shots, and it was over. I certainly have that ability and it should be something my opponents are worried about.”

While the bout between Boetsch and Weidman would appear to decide the next contender, a recent push from Michael Bisping has resonated loudly throughout the MMA community. “The Count” is pushing hard to put himself across from Anderson Silva, and looked strong in his victory over Brian Stann. Despite Bisping‘s efforts, Boetsch doesn’t believe it will have an impact on his road to the top.

“Talking is just one of Bisping‘s tactics,” Boetsch said. “He tries to stay in everybody’s ear and stay noticed so people will continue to want to see him fight. Bisping‘s tough though. He took apart Brian Stann the other night and I had a feeling that was going to happen. If Brian was able to keep the fight standing I felt he had a really good chance of clipping Bisping and maybe knocking him out. But Stann just wasn’t able to stop the take downs and Bisping definitely took advantage of that.”

Despite a rough summer for the UFC, the end of the year is stacked with strong cards. Between UFC 154, UFC on Fox 5, and UFC 155, divisional pictures and championship belts will all be up for grabs. With the injury bug seemingly biting at every turn, and fights being scrapped at an increasing rate, Boetsch feels there are several factors which come into play.

“There is definitely some over-training going on but there is also a lot of pressure on fighters nowadays,” Boetsch said. “There is pressure to win fights and if you are not out there performing at your highest ability, putting on and ultimately winning exciting fights; your career is on the line. You have to win to stay in the business. You have to put on exciting fights and you have to throw down hard. If guys aren’t able to do that because they have developed some sort of injury; I definitely see why they are not jumping in the cage and putting it on the line.

“I understand their concern but at the same time I fall under an interesting category. I don’t have the luxury of being able to take a bunch of time off. I have two kids, a wife and another child on the way in January. I have bills to pay. I have to take every fight I can. I’ve definitely taken a lot of fights where I’m not 100%. I have taken fights on short notice but I believe that is just part of the game. I’m not backing down. I’m going to get in there and perform.

“My parents really instilled in me if you make the decision to do something you follow through. You don’t quit or give up. You go in and get what you want. That is part of my mentality and always has been. You put the work in and you just get tough. Even if your body isn’t 100%, you go in there with a strong mind and get the job done.”

While he appreciates the difficult task ahead in facing Weidman, the ultimate dream resting in the back of Boetsch‘s mind is to become the UFC middleweight champion. He doesn’t allow himself to look too far into the future, and even with that being the case, the thought of facing Anderson Silva is never too far away.

“I have December 29th on my mind and that is the date I’m going to show up and beat Chris Weidman,” Boetsch said. “Fans are going to see “The Barbarian” make a statement. I’m truly going to put it in stone that I’m the number one contender and next in line for the belt.

“I want to be the guy who sends Anderson Silva on his way after I take his belt from him. He’s definitely going to have to fight me and I believe it will come after the Weidman fight. He has to defend that belt in this weight class and I want him to be defending it against me. I’m ready to retire Anderson Silva and I’m ready to get that belt. I’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Anderson Silva Hints at Possible HW or WW Move, Says Weidman Will Get a Shot

Anderson “The Spider” Silva isn’t ducking Chris Weidman.During a press conference in Brazil for UFC 153 (via BJPenn.com), the reigning UFC middleweight champion addressed speculation that he is purposely avoiding a fight with Weidman, who is coming off…

Anderson “The Spider” Silva isn’t ducking Chris Weidman.

During a press conference in Brazil for UFC 153 (via BJPenn.com), the reigning UFC middleweight champion addressed speculation that he is purposely avoiding a fight with Weidman, who is coming off dominant back-to-back wins over top-10 opponents.

“Everything has it’s [sic] time. He’ll have his opportunity to fight for the belt,” Silva said. “Maybe I fight next before he gets the shot, I lose and he fights someone else.

“We don’t know. I can fight Bonnar, lose and say: ‘you know what, I don’t want it anymore.’ Or maybe I win and say, ‘I don’t want this anymore.’ Or maybe drop to welterweight or move up to heavyweight. Anything can happen.”

In an interview on FUEL TV’s UFC Tonight, Weidman admitted that he felt like Silva’s managers were getting in the way of his title shot. He doesn’t believe Silva would purposely avoid a fight, but he does feel like Silva’s managers are trying to avoid a bad style matchup.

With Silva slated to face Stephan Bonnar at the UFC 153 main event in Brazil, Weidman took a bout with Tim Boetsch, scheduled for December 29.

Even if Silva and Weidman both walk away victorious, there is talk of a potential superfight between The Spider and UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre.

Silva seems dead set on facing St-Pierre, but the bout hinges on the outcome of St-Pierre’s upcoming fight with Carlos Condit and whether or not the welterweight champ agrees to move up in weight. GSP has consistently deflected questions from the media in regards to going up in weight to fight Silva.

Could Silva actually be considering a drop to 170 pounds for a shot at St-Pierre? And what about heavyweight?

With Lyoto Machida (allegedly good friends with Silva) still in the title mix at light heavyweight, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see Silva take a fight at heavyweight. He has already admitted he isn’t interested in facing Jon Jones.

Back in 2010, there was talk of a potential fight between Silva and former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir. In an interview with MMA:30, Mir even expressed interest in meeting Silva at a catch weight of 235 pounds.

For now, Silva’s itinerary remains a question mark.

The entire middleweight division is gunning for him, but Silva can’t please everyone. He plans on taking his career one step at a time and waiting to see how everything unfolds.

“Every UFC fighter will have their chance,” Silva said. “You have to work and wait for your opportunity…I hope that [GSP] is my next fight. I believe everybody wants to see that fight.”

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 152: 4 Reasons Michael Bisping Does Not Deserve a Title Shot

UFC 152 was a big night for championships. Vitor Belfort nearly dethroned light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, while Demetrious Johnson became the first man to strap the UFC flyweight championship around his waist.Earlier in the evening, middleweights…

Earlier in the evening, middleweights Michael Bisping and Brian Stann duked it out in a battle that was seemingly for a spot in the middleweight title picture.

While I acknowledge that Bisping is a popular star, and that a collision with Anderson Silva could be excellent for business, I can’t help but feel that the British superstar is undeserving of a crack at the belt.

Here are four reasons why Michael Bisping does not deserve a title shot.

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