Wanderlei Silva Writes About Possible Move to Middleweight

While Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1 MMA, 1-3 UFC) confirms that he’s met with UFC officials about a potential fight with UFC light heavyweight Keith Jardine (13-3-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC), the former PRIDE champion is also considering a move to middleweight.

Silva wrote the possibility in his official blog at wanderleisilva.com.br.

In addition to being one of the UFC’s smaller light heavyweights, Silva is considering a move to middleweight because he wants a rematch with Dan Henderson (22-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) — especially if Henderson defeats UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva (20-4 MMA, 5-0 UFC) at next month’s UFC 82 event.

“There will be a fight of Anderson Silva against Dan Henderson that will be a great fight, and if Dan Henderson wins it, I don’t think twice about lowering my weight to fight him,” Silva wrote (and translated from Portuguese to English).

Silva and Henderson’s last met a year ago at PRIDE 33, a Las Vegas show that would prove to be the second-to-last one in the organization’s history. In the night’s main event, Henderson upset Silva with a third-round knockout via left hook. Henderson claimed Silva’s middleweight (205-lb.) PRIDE title with the win. The duo first met seven years prior at PRIDE 12, where Silva where claimed a unanimous-decision victory.

Silva eventually signed a deal with the UFC in August 2007 and suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Chuck Liddell at UFC 79.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported on Monday, Silva and Jardine could meet at a UFC 84 event that takes place on May 24.

Silva addressed the reports of that fight.

“Everybody is talking about Jardine, but nothing has been made official,” Silva wrote. “I think it would be a good opponent because his style matches with mine, and certainly, no one would be a better choice to be my next opponent.”

Jardine hasn’t competed since September’s UFC 76 event, where he scored a stunning upset unanimous-decision victory over Liddell.

(Touch of gloves: Sofia V. for the translation)