Dana White on GSP-Silva: 'I Guess I'm Gonna Have to Do It

UFC President Dana White says that so many UFC fans are asking him about welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre fighting middleweight champion Anderson Silva that he may soon have no choice but to put the fight together.

"People ask me that all the time," White told Dan LeBatard, via Sports Radio Interviews. "This is what I believe. I believe my job is to put on fights that people want to see. I keep hearing that and enough people want to see it. I guess I'm gonna have to do it."

But White says that even though he'll give the fans that fight if they keep asking for it, he personally doesn't view it as the best fight the UFC can put together. White believes that it makes more sense for Silva to move up in weight and challenge for the light heavyweight title than to move down in weight and take on the welterweight champion, either at a catchweight or, as Silva has said he could do, at 170 pounds.

"The fight doesn't really make all that much sense to me," White said. "Because Georges St. Pierre is a true 170 pounder. Anderson Silva at 185 has moved up to 205 and done very well at that weight. I see him moving up, not moving down. ... I do like Anderson Silva at 205 pounds. That's a natural weight for him."

I agree with White: The size difference between Silva and St. Pierre is significant, and because of that,as great as St. Pierre is,I don't like his chances against Silva. I also think that Silva's career will be a lot more interesting if he starts taking on bigger opponents, at light heavyweight or even at heavyweight.

The fight also can't happen any time soon. St. Pierre will likely fight Josh Koscheck in December, so he won't be ready for another fight until mid-2011.

But there is a certain appeal to Silva-St. Pierre, for the simple reason that White gave when asked who's better: "The only way to answer that is to have them fight."

Have to agree with Dana for once, Much rather see Anderson fighting at Light Heavy, we have covered this before there are far more competitive fights for him in that division, and if GSP then steps up to middleweight, maybe not massive names there but the fights would be far more intersting, GSP wont be as succesfull with the takedowns against naturally bigger guys and GSP will have to mix it up a bit like he did pre-Serra.

Dana is scared that Anderson will spark GSP, then go and beat Rashad or Shogun at 205 and then walk away with 3 belts leaving any claims that anybody in the UFC is the best fighter in the world as garbage.

Has Anderson got 3 or 4 fights left on his contract?

Sonnen - GSP - LHW title then walk.

Or

Sonnen - GSP - Vitor - LHW title then walk.

Could he walk straight into a fight with Fedor??

Anderson has a new contract, I thought it was longer than 3-4 fights.... But if its 4...

Sonnen is happening
Vitor is happening

Do you see him going down to 170lbs? I see him making a run at Shoguns title at 205. Ill have a look and see if I can find out what contract he has signed... Ive a feeling its a long one. I think he will finsih his career in UFC.

Though Anderson vs Fedor is such a great fight. Ive always wanted to see Fedor fight Anderson (Or Machida when he was top 205er)

Fedor doesnt even have a specific Diet when he is in a training camp, Its amazing that a guy with the build of a UFC 185er who uses really basic training methods has got so far. I always wonder what Fedor would have been like in a better camp and cutting weight... I suppose if it aint broke dont fix it!! But I wonder if he really lived upto his full potential or could he have been better?

Anfields5thKing wrote:Dana is scared that Anderson will spark GSP, then go and beat Rashad or Shogun at 205 and then walk away with 3 belts leaving any claims that anybody in the UFC is the best fighter in the world as garbage.

Has Anderson got 3 or 4 fights left on his contract?

Sonnen - GSP - LHW title then walk.

Or

Sonnen - GSP - Vitor - LHW title then walk.

Could he walk straight into a fight with Fedor??

I dont think you thought your little fantasy out through enough.
How can he leave with the belt with UFC's Champion clause in the contract, let alone with 3 belts.



Dana doesnt want to do GSP-Anderson, because he doesnt want to see his star GSP get demolished while Anderson retires in next few years. GSP is going to be the face of the promotion for years to come....

Well it takes out the fight with Fedor, but it doesn't mean he can't walk away with 3 belts.

Anfeild ,you my friend are deluded

As much as you would love the UFC to crumble or think that one fighter can take them down,it can't and will never happen,your living in a fantasy world.

You don't think that one man walking away with 3 belts having wiped out his own division, beaten the best in the 170 division and holding the belt at 205 won't hit the UFC's claims that everything about them is the best thing going??

I never said it would crumble or anything like that so stop talking out of your arse.

It would be a HUGE blow to the UFC for Silva to walk away with all three belts, especially to Dana and his claims that everybody in the UFC is better than anyone fighting for another organization and to claim otherwise is ridiculous.

rudeboyben84 wrote:Anderson has a new contract, I thought it was longer than 3-4 fights.... But if its 4...

Sonnen is happening
Vitor is happening

Do you see him going down to 170lbs? I see him making a run at Shoguns title at 205. Ill have a look and see if I can find out what contract he has signed... Ive a feeling its a long one. I think he will finsih his career in UFC.

Though Anderson vs Fedor is such a great fight. Ive always wanted to see Fedor fight Anderson (Or Machida when he was top 205er)

Fedor doesnt even have a specific Diet when he is in a training camp, Its amazing that a guy with the build of a UFC 185er who uses really basic training methods has got so far. I always wonder what Fedor would have been like in a better camp and cutting weight... I suppose if it aint broke dont fix it!! But I wonder if he really lived upto his full potential or could he have been better?

It's 4 at most. I thought it was 5 before the Griffin fight so i have a feeling it's 3. But maybe it was 5 after the Griffin fight.

I don't think the Vitor fight is a certainty, Sonnen and GSP will certainly happen. I think he'll demand a 205 title shot before he quits as well. He won't need to beat anyone to get it, he just needs to demand it.

I don't think Fedor would have had as much success at a different camp to be honest.

Apparently Vitor was told he is getting next shot after Sonnen. He is pencilled in to fight the winner at UFC 121 in November. Dana said that Anderson only has 2 more fights at MW, Sonnen and Belfort. Belfort is happening, thought im not so cocky about Belfort KOing him anymore since the layoff!

I said as much as you would love for them to crumble,not that you said they would.(an obvious observation from your hundreds of anti UFC posts)

If Silva did win all 3 belts,(which he won't as the GSP fight would be a catchweight fight,not for his belt)and then left,he would have to retire because of the champions clause and all 3 belts would be back on offer (he can't take them anywhere)and it would be buisness as usual for the UFC,since the UFC have the No2,3 and so on still in each of the divisions and Dana would still be 100% correct in saying the best fighters are in the UFC.

Silva would just go down as the greatest MMA fighter of all time,leaving Fedor with no chance at claiming that title thats all.

Fedor is the best Strikeforce have,followed by their champ sheilds.

Fedors talking about retirement and Sheilds seems like he has left as champ to the UFC (because they don't have the hindsight or smarts to have a champions clause,and don't even learn from the Overeem fiasco)after destroying there most over paid old fighter who hasn't much left in his career.

and you say the UFC are going to over pay for Sheilds,the best MW outside of the UFC
(That will mean they are only probably missing Jacare,apart from that they will have all the best MW's in the world)

Never mind the fact that he beat Hendo,Mayhem and Robbie,nearly 50% of this supposed tournament and he's been the main or co main event in 4 of the 5 CBS cards without even being promoted by them.can anyone remember actually seeing shields in any of the build up to the Hendo fight.
Strikeforce and Coker just keep making cock up after cock up,yet you turn a blind eye to all that

Yet there is no mention from you of this being a problem for Strikeforce,even though this is a reality and not a fantasy scenario.

I still dont get the whole Anit Everything but UFC thing Payne.

Yes UFC is the best, its the premier league of MMA. No one denies that. There will always be smaller promotions. UFC cant take over MMA there are just too many fighers compared to the number of UFC shows. So there will always be good fighers outside the UFC.

They lost one in Hendo and got one in Shields. Yes UFC came off better they got a younger higher ranked figher who left a champ.

But what do you want Strikeforce, to go under? I know about the Business side of things, I dont know ratings or money in MMA but I like watching Strikeforce, they are on TV insted of the internet! lol! and put on good fights, there will always be smaller promotions with the good ranked fighters. If SF go under there will be someone else.

Or do you see UFC actually one day having a propper monopoly on the sport? Or maby get big enough to secure all top 20 in each devision? that isnt totally unthinkable in years.... but I dont know its the likley outcome.

Well no, Dana can't claim that as there will still be a number of top fighters outside the UFC. Diaz is easily top 5 at WW. The best LWs are outside the UFC. At MW there's a strong split. And a number of the best HW's are outside the UFC. Including the best. There's also a strong possibility that a couple of the top UFC fighters will be gone by then. Oh, and in order for him to "still" be 100% correct, he would have to be 100% correct now. Which he's not.

Anderson wants GSP at 170 because he wants his belt and Dana will make it at 170 because it's an advantage for GSP. And he can vacate the titles and retire which voids the "champions clause". Then he can come back 6 months later and Dana can do a sum total of fuck all about it.

Fedor, followed by Diaz, followed by Overeem, then Shields.

The reason they don't have a champions clause with Shields is because the contract he has is one he signed with EliteXC which they bought. If you cared to actually do some research, perhaps you'd know that?

Fedor might retire. Strikeforce will continue to grow. They can always hold that Fedor picked Strikeforce over the UFC as proof of what a top class organization they are.

Shields is an excellent fighter, top class. But the UFC will massively overpay for him. And if he then gets his ass handed to him by Anderson or GSP then he how will that signing look? Dana bases decisions on ratings and being a draw. People who watch Shields end up drawing their pension because they age so much during his humpfests.

Coker is making cock-ups?? He's head of the fastest growing MMA promotion in the world. They have a secure future thanks to a deal with Showtime/CBS that makes Dana cry, he's got the best fighter of all time, and the best female fighter of all teams on their roster. He signed an alltime great in Hendo, who is still one of the top fighters in the world, and when fully fit can beat most people in the world. He lost to Shields, so what? Strikeforce will be in Japan very soon and with their co-promotion deal in place with Dream, they really have all bases covered. Also, a co-promotion coming up with Bellator all going well.

So perhaps you should take your head out of the clouds, wipe the tears away and realize something, Strikeforce aren't trying to compete with the UFC, they are trying to grow the sport of MMA. And they are doing a great job at it.

A Champion cant just say he retires, and sign with a different organisation months later. Or else there would be no point in having the clause. Zuffa would take him to court.


Also Anderson has said time and time again that he is happy with UFC and this is where the best fighters are, and signed a multi fight contract recently etc..., so i dont know where your getting the idea that he is going to conspire this "plan", and go to SF.

I think its good to have more than one good company in MMA. Personally I enjoy SF alot but there obviously things wrong with it (such as having Gus Johnson as a commentater) and is not as big as the UFC. But SF means more MMA for me and im perfectly fine with it, especially since they have a lot of very talented fighters there. Several legends of the sport as well.

Payne I know you enjoy Bellator and American MMA in general, why not SF?

To be fair Cocker is pretty good now but he has made a few cock ups like ignoring Heiron's title shot and refering to Antonio "Big foot" Silva as Giant Silva

CBS are a pain in the ass for SF, Karo Parysian was talking about it the other day. He said Cocker was great and everything but SF are run by CBS. Thats his words not mine.


Onto the fighting. Lets see, Silva is fighting Sonnen next, then Belfort. Someone said UFC 121. Ok after that GSP which would probably be UFC 130. Who says by that time Shogun will be UFC LHW champion? Besides Machida probably getting a rematch by that time, the likes of Davis, Bader and Jones will have matured enough to be title contenders. If they continue to develop the way they have Id not only pick one of them to win the belt but to beat an old Anderson Silva as well.

Please lets not get into another GSP vs Silva argument

Also Anderson has said time and time again that he is happy with UFC and this is where the best fighters are, and signed a multi fight contract recently etc..., so i dont know where your getting the idea that he is going to conspire this "plan", and go to SF.
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I think he said that before they treated Machida like shit, Silva was clearly upset after that, I heard most of the BH gym were. Before someone says Shogun deserved the rematch or something, this is Silva's opinion not mine.

redmeanie77 wrote:A Champion cant just say he retires, and sign with a different organisation months later. Or else there would be no point in having the clause. Zuffa would take him to court.


Also Anderson has said time and time again that he is happy with UFC and this is where the best fighters are, and signed a multi fight contract recently etc..., so i dont know where your getting the idea that he is going to conspire this "plan", and go to SF.

He signed that contract before the Griffin fight. And he's not be at all happy with the UFC for the last few months. Since the day Belfort got injured to be exact. After Abu Dhabi he was proper pissed, then his best mate gets fucked over by the UFC. You think that's a happy man?

And yes, he can. If he retires the UFC can do nothing about it. The champions clause is there to stop fighters leaving to fight immediately in other organizations. Silva will be mid-30's and retirement will be a valid thing. If he comes back later to fight elsewhere, nothing Zuffa can do.

Also, if Silva was to fight under the championship clause once, that would be the end of it. They can't make him fight under it indefinitely.

Rogans discusses a few things mentioned on this thread.

I don't see why co-promotion is a bad thing, if a good deal is struck beforehand. Ok it gives competitors more compusure, but instead of treating them like opponents, why not think of them like Allies? Its not like SF or whoever would want to pull out of the deal because they would making much more money than they had previously while at the same time giviving the UFC more exposure. Costs would also surely be reduced because the money would be split in production. Then imagine how much money the UFC could make with there promoting of fighters like Overoid, Fedor, Diaz ect? Lesnar vs Fedor would probably be the most watched PPV in MMA history.

Dream would make a lot of sense as well, Dana has constantly talked about wanting to go to Japan but he has suffered problems. Why no strike a deal with Dream and work something out?
They can even send there freakshow fighters there, imagine how popular Kimbo would be in Japan? Sapp vs Kimbo would make a lot of green down there.

The main problem I have with Dana is that he is really stubborn when it comes to things like this and he just won't on it, will he?

Honestly I just really want to see some of the SF and Dream fighters take on the UFC guys.

Fedor vs Lesnar
Overoid vs Carwin
GSP vs Diaz
Mo vs Jones
ect

ChelseaQuinsfan wrote:Also Anderson has said time and time again that he is happy with UFC and this is where the best fighters are, and signed a multi fight contract recently etc..., so i dont know where your getting the idea that he is going to conspire this "plan", and go to SF.
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I think he said that before they treated Machida like shit, Silva was clearly upset after that, I heard most of the BH gym were. Before someone says Shogun deserved the rematch or something, this is Silva's opinion not mine.

Im not sold on this notion that Anderson is so upset that Dana said Shogun won the fight. In fact i find no substance in it at all.


Im no law expert, but i think Zuffa will definatly issue legal proceedings against Anderson if he tried that. If lets say Anderson retires and changes his mind and fails to come to a deal with UFC then that would be ok. But im sure the UFC before letting Anderson go if he decides to retire, will put something in place so as to avoid that scenario.

I dont think its going to happen at all anyway, so its a moot point as far as im concerned.

Comical attempt to compare the UFC with the NFL. Rogan should really be quiet.

I love watching strikeforce ben,and the last thing I would want is for them or any of the other orgs to go under.
Infact for entertainment value lately,I,ve got more out of the WEC and Bellator lately.
The more MMA on TV the better

I only respond to the criticism of every thing UFC,when they are clearly head and shoulders above anyone else,when it comes to talent and being ran properly.



Strikeforce have been getting non stop grief from the American public and has been getting more negative feedback than positve,from their production,their commentary team to their fighters and I'm not 100% but I believe there crowd numbers and viewing numbers have been down not up,so I don't know how that makes them the fast growing in anything

They have lost there champ and if fedor retires,who are these fighters that they are signing that will continue to make them grow?
batista,Hershal,lashley?????

Having the best female with nobody to fight is going to help them how,womens MMA doesn't exactly appeal to the masses does it(even though I really enjoy it)
And bellator have the best P4P female fighter,Megumi Fuji,and are doing more than Strikeforce with there tournament to build up womens MMA,instead of just marketing one female fighter.

The reason they don't have a champions clause with Shields is because the contract he has is one he signed with EliteXC which they bought. If you cared to actually do some research, perhaps you'd know that?

I knew he was part of the fighters that came from eliteXC but I didn't know they couldn't include there own clauses when they signed him but yep I'm big enough to admit I didn't know that if thats the case,but they still don't have a clause with any other fighters do they and after the Overeem debacle,I would of thought that they would stop that from happening again.

as for the Sheilds pay being far to much,well we will have to see about that won't we,since Dana saying Hendo wasn't worth the money and strikeforce paid it,made dana look like the smart one.
no matter how you think of Hendo,he will been seen as a UFC reject now and not still as a great.

They can always hold that Fedor picked Strikeforce over the UFC as proof of what a top class organization they are.

No that just proves that Strikeforce were desperate to get a foot up on the MMA ladder and would bow down and meet M1's rediculas demands and the UFC doesn't need to and aren't that daft to split a full events profits to gain one fighter.

Do you really think that Strikeforce can make a profit while co-promoting and sharing talent,I think you have this crazy idea that all these Orgs are going to merge and make one.

Strikeforce have there rosta,dream has theres and Bellator has theres,they are all seperate and only once in a blue moon will they be able to co-promote the occasional fight.

Bjon Rebney has already said that he would like to co promote the Melendez - alverez fight but TV deals,sponsorships and other commitments are proving to be a problem.

They are all seperate companies with seperate owners that want to make as much money for themselves,signed to differant TV deals and have responsibilities to there own sponsers and so on,they are all fighting to carve there own spot in the MMA world.
Co-promoting is not something they are going to do for all there events or even a quater of there events,it would be financial suicide.

and wasn't it you that was telling me that the Japanese crowd won't take to the UFC or american fighters,so why are Strikeforce with there weaker american fighters differant?

The UFC are putting events on around the whole world,strikeforce haven't been able to go far beyond their Cali roots.


The UFC's HW division is miles stronger than strikeforces who have the second best.

The LHW is just not a compitition

The MW's exactly the same and if they get sheilds,it's not even close,plus the UFC have the rosta to keep them all active where as strikeforce have to scrap to make an eight man event.

The WW's is a complete sweep of the top 20 to the UFC probably

The LW's Strikeforce have Melendez,Thomson and KJ noons,thats it

and as for the fact of growing MMA,the UFC are the sole reason that MMA has the following it has today,coker and strikeforce have done absolutely sweet FA in developing MMA compared to Dana and the UFC

and again I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm having a go at strikeforce,I'm not

I just can't understand how anfeild can make some of his claims,when it's clear as day to me and the majority of the MMA world that the UFC has the better fighters,is ran better and has done head and shoulders more for MMA than all the other ORGs combined.

If all the Orgs in the world combined to make one then he might have a case but there not,so it's not even close.

"Strikeforce have been getting non stop grief from the American public and has been getting more negative feedback than positve,from their production,their commentary team to their fighters"

a blatant lie but moving on past that part.


1) Strikeforce are selling out every event and getting excellent viewing figures and are moving into new markets quickly. Unlike the UFC they don't give away thousands of tickets or manipulate their numbers.

2) Strikeforce have access to Dreams entire roster and Sengoku's roster. As well as the links with Bellator. Huge array of fighters that they can call on. And a huge base of fighters to help them and the sport grow. And Strikeforce challengers is producing some very exciting young fighters, and again, helping the sport grow.

3) Strikeforce are holding a womens tournament as well and also have Carano coming back soon. They're doing everything to build up womens MMA.

4) What Overeem debacle? They've allowed him to fight elsewhere, raise his profile, become a huge star in Japan and one of the top HW kickboxers and MMA fighters in the world, raise their profile overseas and now they have the biggest HW fight on their hands in Fedor-Overeem which is a far bigger fight worldwide than Carwin-Lesnar and will have ALL MMA fans licking their lips. As opposed to two wrestlers that nobody outside of America cares about.

5) Hendo will be seen as an alltime great. No question.

6) Strikeforce are making good profits because their over-heads are due to CBS and M1 global being involved. And they want to promote and develop the sport so they'll settle for lining their pockets a little bit less.

7) Strikeforce and Dream will start to co-promote more and more and the Bellator deal will go ahead for Alvarez-Melendez.

UFC have been in business for much longer than Strikeforce so of course they can have events further afield. But they will only go to countries where they will be given fortunes. Dana thinks he'll make millions in India, he's mistaken. Strikeforce's cards are quality over quantity. Can't remember the last Strikeforce card that

9) There's a fairly even split of HW's in the UFC and out of the UFC.

10) Same goes for MW's.

11) Diaz isn't a top 20 WW? They'll have Askren and Hornbuckle as well if they co-promote with Bellator.

11) JZ just signed, they'll have Alvarez and Aoki(again) as well. Probably Krusher and one or two others as well.

12) Dana and the UFC are growing the UFC and lining their pockets. That's all they care about. The don't care about the sport.

Dana and the fanboys like yourself are the ones that want 1 big organization. I want the fighters having freedom to fight under different promotions. That's what Strikeforce are moving towards. Oh and Japanese fans will take to Strikeforce for one simple reason. The owners of Strikeforce didn't kill Pride to massage their own egos.

payneNglory1 wrote:and again I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm having a go at strikeforce,I'm not

I just can't understand how anfeild can make some of his claims,when it's clear as day to me and the majority of the MMA world that the UFC has the better fighters,is ran better and has done head and shoulders more for MMA than all the other ORGs combined.

If all the Orgs in the world combined to make one then he might have a case but there not,so it's not even close.

clear to you and your fanboys that the UFC are wonderful.

Ran better? No. Don't confuse the UFC with Zuffa.
Better fighters. Overall yes but there's a large amount of top class talent outside the UFC and as Strikeforce, Dream and Sengoku don't put on as many events, they don't need as much talent.

And the part about doing more for MMA is just complete shit.

Why would anyone want the organizations to combine? That's just the dream of fanboys like yourself.