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There has been plenty of talk about an Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort championship bout. Silva says Belfort doesn't deserve a title shot yet as Belfort has not even fought anyone in that division. Nate Marquardt and Dan Henderson have publicly agreed with that statement. Even Vitor Belfort has agreed!
This division was once called the weakest division in the UFC, and Joe Silva is doing his best in keeping it that way. One of the unarguably top three pound-for-pound fighters in the world, a King of Pancrase champion and a former Pride champion don't seem to be enough.
Now Anderson Silva is fighting off injury and has not been cleared to fight at UFC 108 on January 2nd. Understandable. Dan Henderson, who is expected to possibly fight Nate Marquardt for a title shot, is in a contract dispute. That makes sense. So the plan appears to be putting the middleweight division on hold.
That does not make any sense to me.
Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin are expected to be postponed even further than UFC 108, so why won't Joe Silva have Nate Marquardt fight Vitor Belfort? Both of them had relatively recent fights that left them without a scratch.
Marquardt is easily a top condender in that division. Besides Henderson, I only have Anderson silva ranked above him. I don't consider Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva as middleweights until they have actually had a fight in that weight class.
A Marquardt vs. Belfort fight would make sense for multiple reasons. Not only will it co-headline the New Years card (the UFC tries to make that super fight card annually), but it will also establish a legitimate title contender. If Belfort beats Marquardt then he deserves a shot at Silva.
Marquardt's quick disposal of Maia already put him up there a a top middleweight. Also, Anderson Silva is running out of fights on his contract. He has made it clear that he will retire after he completes his contract. At this point Belfort vs. Silva is a waste of a potential superfight.
If Joe Silva has any sense, we'll see Marquardt vs. Belfort before we see Anderson Silva in any fight.
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