meh. Bosses like loyal employees. Machida is the last person who should be talking ****. He got rocked in their first fight and turned down a rematch with a month to prepare.

For those of you complaining about this being a rematch: How many lhws would open with better odds than Chael(-675). Maybe 3?

Silva just stated he would agree to fight jones if jones accepted his terms on a set weight. The interview is in portuguese and I'm on my phone so I can't link to it, but it's from a reliable brazilian channel.

how ridiculous would it be if silva clowned on jones?

What changed his mind? DW waving the checkbook? AS stated there were other LHW's on his team who deserve the opportunity. Possibly being a catch weight makes a difference with no belts at stake.

I think it may have something to do with his legacy. For years he has been considered the most dominant MMA fighter and possibly greatest ever. There really isnt anyone left at MW for him to fight to improve his legacy, so a fight against a guy who many consider could eventually become one of the greatest of all time would set him easily above everyone else if he wins.

Im sure the money helps too.

Of course he says this now that Jones is set to fight Sonnen.

Before then he was all about dodging Jones. Now that he's hooked into a fight, Silva becomes all confident that he can take Jones out.

I don't understand why a 37 year old who is in serious contention as the greatest MMA fighter ever would even consider fighting a ridiculously dominant 25 year old who outweighs him by at least 20 pounds (aside from money). I could see doing it if he was 10 years younger or in the same weight class, but at 37? Does Silva even really have a chance? What weight does Jones actually fight at and what does Silva actually stand to gain from this?

What would they fight at? 195?

That would make sense as it splits the difference between the actual belt weights.

Anderson Silva walks around at 210-218lbs he cuts to 185 for fights. He said in the Bonnar fight that its better for him because he only has to worry bout fight prep and not having to cut lbs too.

Silva Vs. Jones would be the most epic fight of MMA ever....but it has to happen soon within 1yr-2yrs bc of Silvas age.

Dana needs to step up, and offer these guys some serious money soon...this is a once in a lifetime chance to see 2 of the most talented fighters in MMA history.

Silva and Jones won't fight each other right now because they know theres a high possibility they can lose. There is no other fighter in middle, light hw that pose that threat. Just look at how Jones took that fight against Rashad his mentor, training partner, and friend... losing was not and issue that time.

COME ON DANA... YOU HAVE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN NOW!!!!!!!

CHAL does not deserve a title shot at light hw until he fights atleast 2 of these guys Machida, Griffin, Rashad, Rua, or Rampag first. TUF with Chal and Rashad would be good for ratings all the trash talking would be great for tv!!!

This is just wrong and degrading to the UFC for someone to be able to talk there way into a title fight.

So upsetting to be an MMA fan and a fan of Anderson Silva to not be able to see this fight. Its like our chance to see the Bruce Lee of our time in action.

What does Jones walk around at? One of the big topics is that Jones is "much bigger" than Anderson. Anderson doesn't seem to have any problem performing at 185. 195 would be a simpler cut for him. Why not see what cutting an extra 10 pounds does for Jones?

Silva doesnt have to cut anything to fight Jones at Light hw 186-205lbs. Cutting weight should not be an issue ... it would be an excuse.

$$$$$$ is the only issue.

he'd consider it because he thinks he's the best and wants the challenge and/or to prove it.

what he has to gain is competition.
i know i'd personally find it much more honorable/respectable for someone to push their limits and go out on their shield if need be. both of these fighters ducking each other certainly makes me think less of them vs someone like BJ Penn who dominated his peers so much that he fought guys at WW and even LHWs.

re: cutting weight

I realize Silva walks around at 205+ and wouldn't have to cut weight. What does Jon Jones walk around at though? He's considered huge for a LHW and it's pretty much inevitable he will move up to HW soon. Doesn't he walk around at 220+?

I could see someone doing this if they are/were in their prime, but Silva is almost 40. Can he actually win this fight? (unless Jones is smaller than I think -- there's no way right?)

Would you find it honorable/respectable for GSP to fight Junior Dos Santos? Would you find it honorable/respectable for Royce Gracie to fight Matt Hughes (scratch that -- make Matt Hughes 20 pounds bigger relative to Gracie and subtract 6 years from Hughes)?

Taking any and all comers for the challenge is respectable and all up to a point, but there is a limit to the fights you should intelligently take based on age, weight classes, and stage of your career. I think a 37 year old fighting a 25 year old who is crushing everyone in a weight class 20 pounds heavier than the one you fight at goes a little past the honorable/respectable line and is starting to approach the ludicrous territory.

Unless of course he can actually win and I'm overestimating Jon Jones either in his skill or his "true weight". Or cutting to 195 will drastically effect him... but if that's true I don't see the huge deal because we're not seeing a Jon Jones at his peak fighting ability anyway.

he's said he walks around at 225 which is standard for lightheavyweights. he's only huge in the sense that he's tall with freakishly long limbs but he's actually kinda skinny for a lhw.

there's a pretty legit chance he walks around at closer to 240ish

If Jones' legs matched the rest of his body he'd probably walk around closer to 260ish.

the 240 thing is from some interview where he said he walks at 224 but envisions himself being a 240 lbs heavyweight in the future. i mean i guess he could be lying but i don't really see the motivation.

What would Silva's chances be of actually beating Jones?

Not very high, Bones more well rounded.

Sonnen opened at +400 vs Jones, and Rashad Evans opened at +425.
Anderson stands a way bigger chance than something like GSP vs JDS. Perhaps I'm totally off, but I don't see Anderson vs Jones as anywhere close to approaching ludicrous given Silva's dominance, especially considering the Forrest Griffin fight. lol Griffin, but he was a former LHW champ with wins over half of the LHW's that Jones has defeated in his title run.

Silva +235.

People don't seem to hit their peak until a later age in MMA or if they do, it lasts much longer. I mean Dan Henderson is the #1 contender at LHW and he's 41. Couture won the LHW title at 43. Such a thought makes it hard to imagine how good Bones is going to be a few years from now.

Silva may be 37, but he still has years in his prime left. However, the odds of him beating Bones lowers as time goes on not because of Silva sinking but because of Bones rising.

here's silva's announcement in english, btw

http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/10/1...ufc-dana-white

Silva would win if Jones tried to implement Forrest's game plan. Silva is a (far) better striker than Jones. But he wouldn't do that, everything Sonnen can do, Jones can do better.

Hendo and especially Couture are extreme outliers and hardly indicative. average peak years are way lower.