Anderson Silva Would Be Smart to Accept Rematch with Chris Weidman

After an embarrassing loss to Chris Weidman at UFC 162, Anderson Silva has a big choice to make. 

He can either refuse a rematch or accept it.

Even before the fight, Dana White said a rematch would be a "no brainer" if Weidman won, according to MMAWeekly.com.

After the fight, White was already lobbying for Silva to accept a rematch. "I guarantee you there’s nothing more he wants than that rematch with Chris Weidman,” the UFC president told reporters in the post-fight news conference, according to Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. 

However, after losing to Weidman, Silva made it clear in his post-fight interview that he didn't have any interest in fighting Weidman again. Per MMAWeekly.com: 

"

Chris is the champion now. I finish my work. I no more fight for the belt. I fight for the belt for a long time. I’m tired...I want to take some time off and maybe three to four months, think about what I want to do. Really, right now, I can’t think about (a rematch).

"

Should Silva refuse to get back into the Octagon with Weidman, the last thing MMA fans will remember about his career is that his hubris got the best of him. 

As you're likely aware, Weidman caught Silva with a punishing left hook, knocking him to the mat before he finished him off with a couple of brutal ground strikes. Silva had been taunting Weidman moments before the shocking finish, talking trash with both arms at his side. 

It's a routine we've grown to expect from Silva, who has long believed he was untouchable. It's also a routine many have grown tired of, and watching Weidman finally shut him up was a satisfying development for those who don't appreciate such displays.

For a fighter like Silva, who redefined dominance in the UFC with 17 straight victories and 10 straight successful UFC middleweight title defenses, this isn't the last thing he wants people to remember. 

Nobody wants to go out on the bottom, and Silva has a golden opportunity to change his fortunes with a return to the Octagon.

Silva needs this rematch, and the UFC and its fans are clamoring for it.

White will certainly pursue Silva relentlessly in an effort to convince his star to get back into the Octagon with Weidman. 

Should he accept the rematch, Silva would have a chance to once again prove that he is the best MMA fighter in UFC history. You can be sure he wouldn't take Weidman lightly a second time, and the rematch would potentially become an instant classic.

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