...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
UFC President Dana White took part in UFC commentator Joe Rogan's long-running podcast on Thursday night, having a very lengthy and candid conversation about a large number of topics. During that conversation, the topic of UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva came up, and White said there's one fight in particular he feels he has to put together.
"I have to make him and f***ing [Jon] Jones happen," White told Rogan (transcribed by MMAJunkie.com). "I have to make that happen."
It's the super fight both have seemingly warmed up to since it was first broached, but there are a number of factors which could play against it. For one, Jones has a number of fights ahead of him at light heavyweight, and has discussed a move to heavyweight. On top of that, Silva's talked about the possibility of moving to welterweight for a Georges St-Pierre fight, and has a bout with Chris Weidman likely coming this summer.
On the Silva front, White says it's all pretty much talk, and what Anderson really is looking for is the biggest fights possible.
"What Anderson really talks about – he f***s with me a lot – but he wants big fights," White said. "He wants big fights."
Penick's Analysis: There'd be no bigger fight right now than Jon Jones vs. Anderson Silva. Jones has emerged as a challenger to Silva's crown as the best MMA fighter in the world, and pitting the two of them against one another could provide an incredible moment for the UFC. But with so many variables in play and a number of fights in their own weight classes left to be fought, it's not necessarily realistic to believe it's actually going to come together. Still, White wants it, and he will do what he can to put it together before Silva retires.
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
Interested in joining MMATorch's writing team? Send idea for a theme to your column (for Specialist section) or area of interest (i.e. TV Reporter) along with a sample of writing to mmatorch@gmail.com.
