Manager: Anderson Silva anxious to reclaim UFC belt, will fulfill contract

Anderson Silva is anxious to reclaim his UFC middleweight title from Chris Weidman. In fact, the 38-year-old expects it to be just one of the nine remaining fights he plans to fulfill on his existing contract.

Just prior to this past weekend’s announcement that Weidman (10-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) vs. Silva (33-5 MMA, 16-1 UFC) II will take place Dec. 28 as UFC 168's pay-per-view headliner at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, the ex-champ’s manager, Ed Soares, told AXS TV’s “Inside MMA” that the fighter is anxious to reclaim his belt.

Silva, of course, suffered a shocking second-round TKO loss to Weidman on July 6 at UFC 162. It ended the longtime champion’s streak of 16 consecutive UFC wins and 10 straight title defenses.

“Anderson seems to be taking it pretty well, but it’s definitely on his mind,” Soares told “Inside MMA” on Friday. “I know that he’s eager to get back in there and do it again and get his belt back.”

Despite the defeat and his advancing age, Silva, who signed a new 10-fight deal prior to the first Weidman fight, plans to fulfill the contract, Soares said.

“[He] will fight out the nine fights on his contract, but his next fight will be against Chris Weidman,” he said.

Silva was promised an immediate rematch if he lost his title. Additionally, since Silva’s clowning and posturing played at least a part in the defeat, Weidman is probably anxious to scored a second victory to prove the doubters wrong. The bout’s potential is so big that it actually bounced a planned headliner between UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and challenger Miesha Tate (13-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) to co-headliner status at UFC 168.

But Ray Longo, Weidman’s head trainer, told “Inside MMA” the second bout won’t be unlike the first.

“He wants to prove at all these people, some of the naysayers, this wasn’t an accident, and I think the rematch will end worse than the first fight did (for Silva),” Longo said.

For more on UFC 168, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Anderson Silva)