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UFC president Dana White recently said that if enough people want to see UFC champions Anderson Silva (26-4 MMA, 11-0 UFC) and Georges St-Pierre (20-2 MMA, 14-2 UFC) meet in the octagon, it's his job as a promoter to make it happen.
White can now count one very influential fight fan among those hoping to see the matchup come to fruition: UFC co-owner and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.
"I want to see that fight," Fertitta said. "That's probably the one fight I really want to see the most."
St-Pierre and Silva, of course, have dominated their respective UFC weightclasses for several years, and fans have often wondered whether the Canadian welterweight or the Brazilian middleweight would prove victorious if they were to ever meet in the cage.
White has often spoken against the possibility, citing the massive size difference between the 6-foot-2 Silva – who occasionally moonlights as a light heavyweight – and the 5-foot-11 St-Pierre. But in recent months, the UFC president has softened his stance.
"They've got a couple of guys they've got to beat before we make that fight, but I'm not opposed to making it," White said in August of the potential matchup.
Of course, there are still obstacles in the way. Silva currently has a February matchup with potent striker Vitor Belfort on the horizon, and St-Pierre faces fellow "The Ultimate Fighter 12" coach Josh Koscheck in December. UFC newcomer Jake Shields has also been promised a shot at the winner of that fight.
But if both champions are able to retain their belts in those matchups, Fertitta seems to believe the dream fight is inevitable.
"'GSP' has to get past Koscheck; Anderson Silva has to get past Vitor Belfort," Fertitta said. "If that happens, there's a really good likelihood that we could see that fight – probably some time next summer. ... If these guys keep winning their fights, I think it will definitely happen.
"One of the things we wanted to do was allow both of these guys to continue to get through their divisions – meaning there were a lot of contenders that deserved title shots. Because they're in different weightclasses, we wanted to let that all play out before we put those two guys together. But I mean we're getting to a point where they've pretty much cleaned out the division. Maybe it's time to watch them and see what happens."
White can now count one very influential fight fan among those hoping to see the matchup come to fruition: UFC co-owner and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta.
"I want to see that fight," Fertitta said. "That's probably the one fight I really want to see the most."
St-Pierre and Silva, of course, have dominated their respective UFC weightclasses for several years, and fans have often wondered whether the Canadian welterweight or the Brazilian middleweight would prove victorious if they were to ever meet in the cage.
White has often spoken against the possibility, citing the massive size difference between the 6-foot-2 Silva – who occasionally moonlights as a light heavyweight – and the 5-foot-11 St-Pierre. But in recent months, the UFC president has softened his stance.
"They've got a couple of guys they've got to beat before we make that fight, but I'm not opposed to making it," White said in August of the potential matchup.
Of course, there are still obstacles in the way. Silva currently has a February matchup with potent striker Vitor Belfort on the horizon, and St-Pierre faces fellow "The Ultimate Fighter 12" coach Josh Koscheck in December. UFC newcomer Jake Shields has also been promised a shot at the winner of that fight.
But if both champions are able to retain their belts in those matchups, Fertitta seems to believe the dream fight is inevitable.
"'GSP' has to get past Koscheck; Anderson Silva has to get past Vitor Belfort," Fertitta said. "If that happens, there's a really good likelihood that we could see that fight – probably some time next summer. ... If these guys keep winning their fights, I think it will definitely happen.
"One of the things we wanted to do was allow both of these guys to continue to get through their divisions – meaning there were a lot of contenders that deserved title shots. Because they're in different weightclasses, we wanted to let that all play out before we put those two guys together. But I mean we're getting to a point where they've pretty much cleaned out the division. Maybe it's time to watch them and see what happens."
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