Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president has confirmed Anderson Silva’s claims of a title shot with a win over Israel Adesanya.
Silva is set to take on Adesanya inside the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on Feb. 9. The bout will take place on the UFC 234 card. It’ll be Silva’s first fight since Feb. 2017, but an upset win would bring him back to title contention.
Dana White Confirms Anderson Silva’s Claims
When Silva said he was promised a title opportunity with a win over “The Last Stylebender,” many wondered if it was true. White told reporters that Silva will indeed receive a title opportunity if he beats Adesanya (via MMANYTT.com):
“It’s true. I haven’t seen [Anderson] in a while, I flew out to Los Angeles and we sat down and talked. I told him I wanted the Israel Adesanya fight and he says ‘I’m just coming back and how does that make sense for me?’ and I said it makes sense for you because if you win, I’ll give you the title shot. He said ‘now you’re talking, buddy, I like the way you’re thinking.’ I love that. I love that Anderson wants to come back and fight Israel for a title shot. Beautiful.”
Silva hasn’t received a title opportunity since the rematch with Chris Weidman back in Dec. 2013. “The Spider” suffered a horrific leg injury after Weidman checked a kick. Silva has gone 1-2, 1 NC since that fight.
Do you think Anderson Silva can pull off an upset and get a title opportunity one more time?
