UFC chief admits Okami might be next for Anderson Silva

[Rappy Veteran]

Dana White has hinted that Anderson Silva's next fight will be Yushin Okami, not Georges St-Pierre.

White had created a buzz in recent months by suggesting UFC middleweight champion Silva would fight welterweight king St-Pierre if both men won their latest fights. Silva beat Vitor Belfort, and St-Pierre is favourite to overcome Jake Shields in April.

That UFC 129 encounter was seen as the last hurdle, but doubts have begun to emerge with GSP recently stating Silva may be too big to handle. Silva appeared to have doused that problem when saying he would take the bout at a catchweight of around 178lbs, but now White has casts more doubts by suggesting Silva will face the last man to beat him - albeit via disqualification - Yushin Okami.

Questioned if there was only one hurdle left, with GSP beating Jake Shields, White told MMA Fighting: "Maybe the Okami fight does happen."

Asked if there is a chance of that bout going ahead, White replied: "Yeah."

The UFC president then seemed to play down the hype over Silva v St-Pierre by labelling it a "fantasy fight".

"Do I think if all the stars line up and everything works out perfect that GSP won't fight Anderson Silva?" White said. "There's no way. Both guys would take that fight. Georges St-Pierre has to beat Jake Shields, that has to happen. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't matter what happens after that.

"Georges St-Pierre has never turned down a fight in all the years I've known him. Neither has Anderson Silva. But it's a fantasy fight. A lot of things have to come together for this fight to happen."

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[D. S. Veteran]

GSP is showin how smart he is. He has everything to lose in moving up to MW. He's the top WW in the world, raking in tons of money in sponsors and PPV cuts. A hasty move to MW to fight the top MW in world might generate PPV buy records (for MMA at least) but what's next? If he wins, he's seriously undersized and many other MW contenders will poser an incredible challenge. If he loses... well he can't go back to WW and dominate. Do we really want to see GSP as a middle of the pack MW?

With the recent aquisition of SF, GSP finds himself with another potential opponent in Nate Diaz and Anderson Silva... well Anderson will just keep on crushing whoever is put in front of him. Jacar? would be a walk in the park for him.

[Lovell]

sigh, really pathetic no one wants to see Silva vs Okami; we want to see 2 of the p4p champs struggle against each other and be forced to fight to win rather than Silva prancing around the octagon and GSPs lay n pray.

Nick Diaz will only get a shot at GSP if he beats Paul Daley and considering Nicks bad habit of standing toe to toe with his opponents I really can't see him winning.

[D. S. Veteran]

sigh, really pathetic no one wants to see Silva vs Okami; we want to see 2 of the p4p champs struggle against each other and be forced to fight to win rather than Silva prancing around the octagon and GSPs lay n pray.

Nick Diaz will only get a shot at GSP if he beats Paul Daley and considering Nicks bad habit of standing toe to toe with his opponents I really can't see him winning.

While it is true that no one wants to see Silva vs Okami since Okami won that title shot in a very boring fight and doesn't have a chance in hell to win, he is next in line. And GSP will only take the Silva fight on his terms, providing him enough time to bulk up to 185. The UFC can't have two of their biggest draws just standing around for about a year so the superfight can happen. A year is a very long in MMA terms. Maybe Bones wins the LHW championship and decides to fight Silva. Who knows?

Diaz has a granite chin and wicked BJJ. I have no doubt he will take Paul Daley down (he couldn't beat Koscheck) and submit him. Even if he does something stupid and trades with Daley, his jaw has been tested time and time again and his striking isn't bad at all. It's not that clear cut.

[Lovell]

A catchweight fight should be rather equal, GSP already fights as middleweight the problem is Silva fights at light heavyweight, fighting at catchweight will stop Silva from been able to fight at light heavy and keep the weight equal.

When GSP or A. Silva lose it'll more than likely be because their past it this is the only chance for them to fight at their peak, Dana's going to wait for A. Silva to be past it before he makes the fight, A. Silva's 35 this is around the average age most fighters lose it.

Koscheck is an amazing wrestler one of the best in the welterweight division have a look at Daley's losses Jake Shields and Josh Koscheck both top of the line wrestlers, Paul Daley has good take down defence it just doesn't look like that against top of the line wrestlers, this should be an amazing fight either way

[D. S. Veteran]

A catchweight fight should be rather equal, GSP already fights as middleweight the problem is Silva fights at light heavyweight, fighting at catchweight will stop Silva from been able to fight at light heavy and keep the weight equal.

When GSP or A. Silva lose it'll more than likely be because their past it this is the only chance for them to fight at their peak, Dana's going to wait for A. Silva to be past it before he makes the fight, A. Silva's 35 this is around the average age most fighters lose it.

Koscheck is an amazing wrestler one of the best in the welterweight division have a look at Daley's losses Jake Shields and Josh Koscheck both top of the line wrestlers, Paul Daley has good take down defence it just doesn't look like that against top of the line wrestlers, this should be an amazing fight either way

Even at a catchweight, GSP is at a disavantage. He is clearly smaller than Anderson Silva so to be in equal footing he would need to bulk up which takes time. Time that is continously ticking for Silva. And while they are on the shelf, they aren't selling PPV. Silva would only have to diet a bit more and cut some water weight before the fight because he is still huge. Also GSP doesn't enter the cage at MW. He's probably fighting at around 178-179 after hidrating. Cutting 15 pounds to make weight is just ludicrous. I want to see GSP vs Silva as a fan but I can understand the many reasons that stand in the way of that fight. Silva has nothing to concede here. He'll fight whoever the UFC throw's at him. Comparatively GSP has much more to lose and much less to gain from the super fight.