Silva will defend the belt Jan. 2
Anderson Silva will defend his middleweight belt against Vitor Belfort at UFC 108, the L.A. Times reported.
UFC president Dana White told the paper that a verbal agreement has been reached with both fighters.
Belfort made a successful return to the octagon at UFC 103, TKO-ing former middleweight champ Rich Franklin in the first round. At the post-fight press conference, White was very direct when he said that he felt Belfort was ready for Silva now.
UFC 108 will take place Jan. 2 in Las Vegas. Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva is also rumored for the card.
Go Vitor!!!
this is 1 hot match-up,i would rather see this fight than the hendo or mardquart match against him,with them two already losing to silva they should both fight for the number 1 contender for the winner of belfor-silva clash.to beat silva it’s oing to take a great striker and well rounded tools which belfort has.
i just remembered this,im sure hendo beat belfort in pride,im sure of it.im going to check it out,if it was i know it was by decision not a stoppage.
yes he dropped a decision at pride-the real deal.i thought it was alot earlier than that like a pride 10 or sumert but thats when hendo lost a decision to wand silva.cant wait if hendo fights belfort again,he dirty looking belfort after he knocked out linland,real screwing it at him now belfort has took his title shot,mmmm something may ber bubling under the surface there.hendo aint the type to let on he is pissed with you until you get in the cage.
It’s true Hendo beat the Pride version of Belfort but he looks focused, strong, quick and everything he once was. His story is not an easy 2 swallow. He went thru a personal HELL and now he’s back and we’re gonna reap all the benefits of timing. It’s the right time to be Belfort now. Great Match-Ups in the UFC starting with Anderson Silva. I really hope Belfort is able 2 test that chin.
this is going to be 1 of the best title match j-cota.it deserves to be on the big new years card or shall we say 2 days after.i put money on a return of chuck liddell for the new years card.
Taking nothing away from Hendo, but he beat Vitor in the height of Vitor’s bad years. I’m not saying he can’t beat Vitor now, but it would certainly be a better fight, especially on Vitor’s part. Through those years, and his losses to Couture, then to Tito, Overeem, Hendo, Sakuraba, and all of those guys, he was in a bad state with little or no direction for his skills. I’m basically saying the same thing Randy did about him on the UFC 103 Countdown, but it seems pretty true, especially if you watch those fights, and then watch his last four fights or so. There’s a big difference.
I’m not saying he’s gonna come out and beat Anderson, but it will be interesting. To be honest, Anderson seems better than Vitor in just about every aspect. Vitor may have an edge in grappling, but it’s hard to tell, and even if he does it doesn;t guarantee anything at all. This will easily be Vitor’s toughest fight yet I think.
id like to add,i do not belive he lost to tito,i had the first 2 rounds for belfort then the last for tito.in belfort’s bad years he did win the cage rage title.no shame in losing to overeem.randy had is number with the wrestling and control and pounded him from controlled positions.
Damn man just let silva move up to 205 permently, everyone is saying the same things about belfort as they did with all other opponents silva is boring at 185 because he walks in and either takes it serious and KO’s a mother fucker or evades and makes the other guy look like a scared amatuer. Im not saying belfort does stand a chance at all, i just think silva is gonna bob n weave his way into the pocket and get the KO or TKO if belfort has a superman chin.
Much has been written about Belfort’s past, but that was then, this is now; that was Pride, this is the UFC, and that was in the ring, this will be in the cage. I think the most revealing thing about Vitor’s past is the list of fighters who have beaten him: all title holders, all champions.
Belfort earned this fight. He may be a recent addition to the current UFC picture, but he’s fought well, winning his last five fights, highlighted with his knockout against Rich Franklin. While he did lose to Dan Henderson, he is the one top middleweight who has not lost already to Anderson Silva, and as such, I think this is a valid match-up.
Nothing that I’ve seen makes me think Vitor Belfort will be the one to knock Anderson Silva off the pinnacle of the middleweight division, but I certainly hope it will be an exciting, hard fought challenge, and that both of these guys bring the very best of what they have to this battle.
With whatever happens in this fight…we are all FINALLY excited about an Anderson Silva title match. I’m glad Vitor is fianlly getting some love…this guy deserves everything that may come to him, God be with him and his family.
i dont agree with dropping belts and moving up,he should defend until he loses,contact expires,retires.i want to see what record he can set for defences.gives ufc a job to find number 1 contenders.i think melvin manheof may take him.silva wont bob a weave and duck manheof on jet power caveman clubbing.
I think Silva would maul Manhoef to be honest. Manhoef is a great striker, but he’s not quite as technical as Anderson silva is, and he’s definately not as good a boxer. They’re both top-notch Thai boxers, no doubt about that. Spider may never have fought in K1, but he won the Brazilian national Muay Thai championship, so that’s gotta count for something.
Anyway, I think this will be an interesting match, because Anderson and Vitor both have excellent hands. Do I think Vitor can beat Anderson? I don’t know about that, he will defiantely be an underdog, and rightfully so. To be honest, as much as I’d love to see Vitor take it, I think it will be Anderson, because it will most likely come down to a striking match for most of the fight, and Anderson certainly has an edge there. Definately a better title fight than Spider against Patrick Cote or Thales Leites though.
On a side note, if Anderson wins, he will have officially broken Tito and Hughes’ record for most consecutive title defenses.
Silva is a deserving champion, and I think we’ll see him establish a new record for consecutive title defenses, but I’m hoping Belfort makes him work for it.
Watched Paulo Filho maul Melvin Manhoef, 2;35 of the first round by arm bar, so that leads me to believe Manhoef, who is a great kickboxer and a good MMA fighter, would pose little danger to Anderson Silva.