UFC 109 Update: Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen Winner Gets Title Shot

Dana White made it official at today's UFC 109 pre-fight press conference: The Nate Marquardt-Chael Sonnen winner will get a title shot which will come against either Anderson Silva or Vitor Belfort.

Silva and Belfort are set to face off in a title fight at UFC 112 in April.

Nate Marquardt said he was excited because it's the first time he's heard definite news that the winner of the fight gets a title shot. For a fighter that wasn't all that interested in fighting Sonnen, it certainly adds extra motivation to stay focused on this fight.

The only ominous question that remains is if Silva will actually be interested in taking the fight.

One option would involve a rematch with Marquardt, whom Silva brutalized back at UFC 73. The other option would involve a first-time fight with Sonnen, someone who has been blasting Silva on the airwaves recently on all accounts.

Ed Soares, Silva's outspoken manager, has recently stated that Silva is interested in putting together the biggest fights possible. Something tells me that Silva vs. the Marquardt-Sonnen winner is going to cut it as "biggest fight possible" for Silva or Soares.

Remember when Dan Henderson was promised a title shot after clocking Michael Bisping at UFC 100. 

Well it didn't happen. Soares wanted Henderson and Marquardt to fight each other to determine the true No. 1 contender. That didn't happen either and Henderson wound up over in Strikeforce.

Will Silva, assuming he beats Belfort at UFC 112, refuse to fight the Marquardt-Sonnen winner? Could it be the straw that breaks the camel's back, causing Silva to finally relinquish his middleweight belt?

Belfort could make things a lot clearer if he can pull the upset over Silva. If not, things are about to get interesting in the UFC middleweight division.