UFC signs Wanderlei Silva

**Shawarma** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 12:03pm

Wonder if he'll bulk up to HW for Couture or if Couture will drop down to LHW.

**famoso** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 12:09pm

Originally Posted by Shawarma

Wonder if he'll bulk up to HW for Couture or if Couture will drop down to LHW.

Randy might be a little to old to cut weight....my opinion.

**Scott Larson** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 2:32pm

Originally Posted by famoso

They bought the organization, but not the contracts the fighters have with the organization.

Right-O, Thanks.

So what is the status of Pride fighters, such as Cro Cop, Hendo, and Rampage? Or are they all signed with UFC now?

**yodaman** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 2:36pm

Most of the individual contracts got voided by this big lawsuit, although the UFC picked up most of them on their own terms. The missing link is still Fedor, who tends to only sign 1 fight deals, something Dana would never agree to.

Anyways, this seems to be a bit late on the fact, all things considered.

**meataxe** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 3:54pm

I wouldn't see Liddel vs. Silva happening all that soon. Too much chance of Chuck losing, IMHO. I suspect they want to feed him a couple of wins before they meet. I think it might be Silva vs. Rampage before Liddel vs. Silva ever happens.

**selfcritical** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 5:14pm

With him not being champ, they really need to feed him a few people to destroy first.

**sambosteve** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 5:14pm

Silva will fight before the end of the year, but alot of the top light heavyweights are also fighting in the next few months.........Maybe Bonner?

That is a mismatch like no other. Might as well throw Bonner to the lions.

Originally Posted by Shawarma
Wonder if he'll bulk up to HW for Couture or if Couture will drop down to LHW.

Silva now trains at Randy's gym in Vegas. I doubt you will them go at each other.

**Necroth** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 7:28pm

Bonner. Silva would put him in a bodybag. Couture. That fight would kick some serious arse, but I doubt Silva will bulk up to go at him. Rampage. We won't see it yet, not as a debut into UFC. They already have bad blood enough. That'll be his third fight in UFC, maybe 2nd if he destroys his first.

No, I foresee Evans v. Silva or Griffin v. Silva, though both would be cakewalks, IMO. But, looking at it from a business POV, if Evans won, he'd be catapulted into top level of fanbase, fight exp., the whole nine. Same for Griffin. And if Silva wins, well, it's what we all expected, it's against a young guy, and it proves that he deserves either a) a shot at Rampage to see if Pride v. Pride in a cage is a great draw, or b) a shot at Liddell for the end of the year to boost Liddell back up to superstar status, or to super boost Silva into belt contention.

It's good business, though, NOT to debut Silva with Chuck or Rampage, but it's better business to make sure either Liddell or Silva have a definitive win before taking on Rampage. That's hype, baby. But Bonnar would look like a total jobber (to steal an old pro. wrestling term) against Silva. I don't know if anyone would take that fight seriously.

**Roidie McDouchebag** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 7:58pm

Chuck/Jardine winner

vs

Silva

vs

Hendo/Ramage winner

Or, Jardine gets beat up by Silva, then Rampage gets beat up by Silva. Then Silva retires and Shogun beats everyone forever.

**Zoil** · Posted On: 8/18/2007 8:13pm

I think its great that Silva finally has a chance to show his skills to the american fighting fans. I believe that Silva was not his usuall self when he fought Dan Henderson (Not taking anything away from Henderson because he's a really great fighter) but he didn't seem like he was 100 percent that night. Maybe the fight that he had with Crocop affected him in some way. I hope that Silva enters the UFC the same way he entered PRIDE with determination and aggresiveness.