Anderson Silva is willing to do whatever it takes to once again be a UFC champion, even if that means throwing down with Chris Weidman for a third time.
It has been nearly a year since Silva’s horrific leg injury against Weidman at UFC 168. Echoes of the former middleweight champ’s blood-curdling screams reverberating throughout the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas still haunt fans to this very day.
There was doubt Silva would ever walk again, let alone fight again.
Yet here we are, nearly a year removed from the incident, and Silva is training and preparing for his big MMA comeback. He is slated to face former Strikeforce welterweight champ and UFC title contender Nick Diaz on January 31 in Las Vegas.
Are you interested in Weidman vs. Silva III?
During an appearance on Brazilian show Passando a Guarda (h/t MMAFighting.com), Silva predicted his pairing with Diaz would make history as the “best striking match of all-time.”
“It’s going to be a show for the fans. It will make history as the best striking match of all-time,” Silva said.
The Brazilian, who still has seven fights left on his contract, plans to honor the rest of his agreement with the UFC.
It was initially presumed that there would be some kind of legend’s deal in place, where Silva would basically take whatever random fight that piqued the interest of UFC fans.
At a media scrum four months ago, per MMAFighting.com, Silva gave the floor to fellow Brazilians Lyoto Machida and Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. He conceded that Weidman has already defeated him twice, and a rematch wasn’t in his plans.
It is often said that distance makes the heart grow fonder.
Over a year has passed since Silva wore UFC gold and was hailed as the top pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. If given another opportunity to sit on the throne, nothing will stop him from signing on the dotted line, not even Chris Weidman.
“I think about fighting for the title again, of course. I have seven fights left in my contract and, if I have a chance to fight for the title again, I will fight,” said Silva. “I will fight the fights I have left in my contract and, if I earn a chance to fight for the title one day, against [Weidman] or not – not being a friend or a training partner –, I will be happy.”
Weidman, who handed Silva two losses in 2013, is set to defend the middleweight title for a third consecutive time early next year against Vitor Belfort.
Jordy McElroy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA writer for Rocktagon.
