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Vitor Belort Out, Options for Silva
Posted by RJ Clifford on the 11 February 2010 | View Comments
Belfort Out, Anderson Silva’s Options
The injury bug has bitten the UFC again. It has been officially announced today by UFC president Dana White via his Twitter that 185 pound title contender Vitor Belfort is out of his fight with champion Anderson Silva at UFC 112 on April 10th due to a shoulder injury.
The UFC is left with few options to fill out the main event of a highly visible pay-per-view in the UFC’s first visit to the Middle East. While the card still carries a lightweight title bout between BJ Penn and Frank Edgar and a veteran’s bout between former welterweight champion Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie, UFC 112 was billed as one of the better cards of the year and losing the main event to yet another injury would affect the quality of the card greatly.
Anderson Silva has the ability to fight competitively at 185 and 205 which theoretically leaves the UFC with twice as many options. Here’s a quick weigh in on all the best possible options.
Middleweight
Chael Sonnen was told his fight with Nate Marquardt would be a title eliminator and he won. However he is currently serving a no-contact medical suspension until March 9th leaving him only 4½ weeks to train for a title fight.
Demian Maia was on a title run until Marquardt knocked him out but he did win at UFC 109. He too however is under an even more serious medical suspension until August 6th for a laceration on his upper eyelid.
The UFC’s best two middleweight contenders are now both coming off losses in Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami. It would be a tough sell to give a title shot to a fighter coming off a loss
Nate Quarry is on a two fight win streak but has been out of the spotlight fighting on under cards and Fight Night cards.
They had a brewing grudge for several months that has seemed to simmer down but a Wanderlei Silva fight would present an exciting option. Sporting a 1-3 record in the UFC recently and having never fought at 185 however, a title shot would seem out of place. Catch weight bout?
Yoshihiro Akiyama is probably the best fighter available as a sub top ten middleweight with a 13-1 record. He has only fought one time in the UFC but if Dana White wants to make an international splash in Asia, this would do it.
Light Heavyweight
The best talent at the 205 pound division in the UFC is currently all locked up in fights.
At UFC 114 Quinton Jackson is set to face Rashad Evans in a fight that should have happened after The Ultimate Fighter’s tenth season in a grudge match that is unlikely to get broken up.
Lyoto Machida will face Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the title at UFC 113 in a rematch of their controversial bout at UFC 104 and there is no way the UFC will break up one title fight for the sake of another. Especially a lucrative rematch.
Also on UFC 113 Forrest Griffin is set to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. Silva has already defeated Griffin in a one sided beating while Nogueira is a training partner and close friend of Anderson Silva. They have mentioned the strong desire to not face each other.
American Top Team fighters Luis Cane and Thiago Silva would make for an exciting stand up war however both are coming off losses. Another tough sell.
Rich Franklin is no stranger to fighting Anderson Silva and can fight at 185 to 205 however his two losses to the champion were both so one-sided, it is unlikely they will ever fight again.
Randy Couture recently defeated the freshly released Mark Coleman at UFC 109 and came out unscathed. He is 2-0 in his latest run at light heavyweight and would be a huge draw for the card. Probably the best option at 205.
Conclusion
Chael Sonnen was promised a title fight and if he is cleared and healthy, he would make the most sense at 185 with Yoshihiro Akiyama coming in as a second choice. If UFC management chooses to scrap the title bout altogether, Randy Couture would probably be the next best option. He is already in shape and has the spotlight on him again.
I bet Dana White wishes he did not lose Dan Henderson to Strikeforce right about now.
Twitter -- @rjclifford2
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