While speculation of a potential boxing bout between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (24-4 MMA, 9-0 UFC) and boxing great Roy Jones Jr. (53-5 Boxing) has been circulating for more than a year, a new report from CBSSports.com states that Jones Jr. has extended the offer to include MMA rules. While Silva is apparently open to the idea, there are substantial obstacles that stand in the way of the bout coming to fruition. First on the list: UFC President Dana White. "I could do it, make it huge, make money, but I could have done a fight like this when we were bleeding money [in the early 2000s]," White told CBS Sports.com. "The fight would make some money, but it hurts MMA in the long term. We don't do that because we love the sport. That's a PRIDE or K-1 matchup. It's not what we do." The same PRIDEfc that he bought? Disrespectful ****.So its ok to have a WWE fighter as your heavy champ in less than 4 fights but you wont make Silva Jones? Im sick to death of Dana. Hurt MMA? Personally i dont care for this bout but Dana trying to use some form or morality to justify this is asinine. This guy seems to have a VERY short memory. In the old days of the UFC if the boxer vs MA mathcups never existed there would be no MMA.
Why in the hell would RJJ want a piece of Silva MMA rules? and Why in the hell would Silva want a piece of RJJ boxing rules?
I'm surprised Dana White didn't jump all over this. Seems like a great event that would sell. He is right - that it would give MMA a bad rep to certain extent to see an elite boxer - past his prime - competing in an event completely out of his environment. It's a circus act to be honest. In defense of Dana's decisions to promote Lesnar - he is promoting Lesnar as career MMA fighter - not a one and done spectacle. Perhaps if Roy Jones would commit to a career in MMA - White would have no problems with this.
It's total bull**** that Jones agreed to MMA rules. If he said that its only because Silva is locked down by the UFC contract and he know's it.
I don't see how it could hurt MMA unless Dana is scared RJJ would win.... RJJ has superior hands by far and no one can deny that or even try to, but with kicks etc. no way he can beat A. Silva. So where is the downside?
Stupid rumor. It will NEVER happen in MMA. It will only under boxing rules and only when Silva's UFC contract expires.
If they fight,they should go by kickboxing rules.That way each guy can use their respected talents(RJJ boxing,and silva with his kicks).Thats the only fair way to do it IMO.
No White wouldn't have a problem if he committed to the UFC, NOT MMA in general. White is a total dickhead I hate him. I think I'm going the way of most everyone else and I'm gonna stop watching the UFC. Its too bad too because I like alot of the fighters just Dana himself has ruined the sport more then he has done good. Atleast for me, I was watching before Dana did all his legendary magical "good for MMA" act. **** Dana.
First off, I'd like to see this fight. Who wouldn't. It doesn't matter to us at all how long it takes either of them out of their games to prepare or how long they're out after etc. But it makes total sense to me why White doesn't want this. If he really wants to make his sport legit, it has to stick to some semblance of a contender/champion system with regular fights by the champ etc and not this kind of old school 'boxer vs mma ' stuff. The Steelers don't skip a game to play the rugby world champs, and that kind of legitimacy is what White is going for. Lest we forget, that's the same kind of attitude that lets us see the best fight the best pretty regularly in the UFC.
Is that the reason why Machida took so long to get a title shot? Or why Frenchman Kongo is still waiting for his? Or why Lesnar after one fight in the UFC got a shot at the title? If Dana was so interested in promoting the legtimacy of this sport he wouldnt have a former WWE wrestler as their heavyweight champ in less than half a dozen fights.
As big of a fan as I am of Machida I really don't think he waited that long or did that much in his division as some would claim. He decisioned journyman Nakamura (13-9) beat a raw Sokoudjou (5-4) decisioned a over the hill Ortiz (15-6-1) who hasn't had a relevant win since 06 and finally KO'd Thiago Silva (13-1) who's biggest wins are over Drwal & Mendes Kongo lost to Heath Herring who Lesnar beat and giving Cheick a shot before he has had time to work on his ground game would not be doing him a favor.
This comes from a man who thinks Fedor sucks, so, whats there to be all pissed off about? We all know Dana White is a coward before he is a business man. Jones/Silva would be, imo, almost as interesting and/or big as Lesnar/Mir was. White, for whatever reason there be, doesnt want nothing to stand in the way of his claims that boxing is a dying sport. Hatton/Pacquia, Pacquia/De La Hoya, and soon around the bend is Haye/Klitschko. The UFC cannot compete with this schedule, with the exception of UFC 100 with Lesnar/Mir rematching. Pacquia's KO destruction of Hatton, may not have made Floyd Mayweather **** his pants, but it sure as hell did to Dana White.
Dana knows Fedor doesn't suck, White is a promoter and anything that comes out of a promoters mouth whether in boxing or MMA is designed to make there guy look better and play down everyone else. Getting mad at promoter for spewing bull is like getting mad at a fish for swimming it's just what they do. As to Jones vs. Silva I really don't see what the attraction is. In a boxing match Jones beat up Silva and in a MMA match Silva beats up Jones unless Silva decides to get stupid and only boxes Jones in which case again we already know what happens.
