Dana White: Chael Sonnen vs. Phil Davis 'could happen' at UFC 167

INDIANAPOLIS – Despite the best efforts of Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva to pick a fight with each other, it doesn’t look as if that’s a bout that will go down before year’s end.

So if Sonnen (29-13-1 MMA, 7-6 UFC) wants to fight again, and especially if he wants to be a part of November’s UFC 167, which will celebrate the promotion’s 20th anniversary, someone else will have to do.

According to UFC President Dana White, that someone could be Phil Davis rather than Silva (35-12-1 MMA, 5-7 UFC).

Sonnen called out Silva after his win earlier this month over Mauricio Rua, which headlined UFC on Fight Night 26 in Boston. Silva responded to that challenge with a YouTube video in Portuguese that told Sonnen what he thinks of him.

But White reiterated on Wednesday following the post-event news conference for UFC Fight Night 27 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis that Silva was injured.

“He’s not going to be healthy till January,” White said. “He can’t even start training till January.”

So that rules him out of the running for UFC 167, which takes place Nov. 16 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

White said Sonnen, who recently has challenged for titles in both the middleweight and light heavyweight very likely could wind up getting his wish to fight on the card – and hinted that a recent Davis callout of Sonnen could lead to a pairing of the two in a light heavyweight bout.

“We talked a little bit tonight,” White said of Sonnen. “He wants to fight on that 20th anniversary card. He wants to co-main that (card). I’m working on it. That fight (against Phil Davis) could happen.”

Prior to Sonnen’s win over Rua, he dropped a light heavyweight title fight to champ Jon Jones. Before that, he was stopped in the second by Anderson Silva in a middleweight title rematch.

Davis, meanwhile, is coming off a split-decision win over former champion that gave him a three-fight winning streak.

For more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Chael Sonnen)