Dana White Threatens To Cut Anderson Silva If He Repeats His Antics

Anderson Silva turned in the most controversial performance of his career this past Saturday at “UFC 112: Invincible” in Abu Dhabi. He drew the criticism and anger of Mixed Martial Arts fans everywhere and, more importantly, of UFC president Dana White. White appeared on ESPN’s “Jim Rome Is Burning” today to discuss his feelings towards Silva and what he is prepared to do should Silva fall out of line again.

White explained to Rome why Silva’s performance brought him to personally unprecedented levels of frustration and he even made a surprising concession to that other popular fistic contest.

“Nobody supported him more than I have; calling him the best pound for pound fighter in the world,” said White. “He didn’t act like it the other night. Not only did he not act like the pound for pound best fighter in the world, he didn’t act like a champion and a UFC fighter. Taunting, not fighting, and then from the third round on running and not actually engaging. It was a very embarrassing moment for me. I actually, literally, have never seen anything that bad. Not even in boxing.”

Never one to mince words, White illustrated his vexation with Silva by making a bold statement concerning his new policy of complete intolerance for any repetition of Silva’s UFC 112 performance.

“I’m telling you right now, if he ever acts like that again in the ring, I will cut him,” said White. “I don’t care if he’s the pound for pound best fighter in the world. I don’t care if he’s the middleweight champion.”

White may have just made that statement to save face by assuring the public that Silva will face extreme punishment if he repeats the behavior he showed at UFC 112. If the emotional New England native were to ever follow through on his threat to cut one of the greatest fighters in MMA’s young history from his roster, any competing promotion would jump at the chance to add him to their own. White may be forced to eat his words should Silva lose it in the Octagon again.

You can watch the interview with White over at ESPN.com by clicking here.