Anderson Silva lost by unanimous decision against Israel Adesanya on Saturday night, but the 43-year-old impressed many with his performance nonetheless, and he already has some big name opponents in mind for his next fight, which he hopes will takes place in Curitiba, Brazil.
“The last time when I tried to fight in Curitiba, I had problems and I take the surgery very fast, and I [withdrew from] the card,” Silva told MMA Fighting. “Now I have a chance to fight in my city when everything city, where everything started. I talked to (my manager) Ed (Soares) and I talked to my team and maybe I think it makes sense, a fight with me and Nick Diaz in Curitiba. Let’s go see. It’s just waiting for (UFC president) Dana (White) because it’s not time to make decisions. Hopefully, I fight in Curitiba.
“I think it’s a very interesting fight because the last fight with me and Nick is a no contest. I talked to Nick’s manager a couple of months ago about this fight and Nick say, ‘Okay, let’s go do it. Let’s go talk to Dana and let’s go do it.’”
However, it seems that Diaz is less than enthusiastic about the idea.
“(Expletive) all this – I don’t want to hurt nobody,” Diaz said on Instagram. “I just want to party.”
Silva did have a back-up option in mind in case Diaz wasn’t interested though – none other than Conor McGregor.
“First of all, I respect the champ; second, I think at this point in my career and in Conor’s career, it’s very interesting doing something special for the fans,” Silva said. “I think the superfight, me and Conor, is very interesting. Let’s go see, the future inside the UFC is very interesting because everything changes fast. But I’m ready to fight again soon.”
The good news for the legendary fighter is that ‘The Notorious’ appears to be interested.
“Anderson is one crafty, crafty Martial Artist,” McGregor wrote on Instagram.
“You only develop these methods through years of hard fought experience.
Phenomenal performance.
The crafty veteran. Big respect always.
It would be an honor!”
That being said, McGregor had also indicated that he’d be willing to fight Nate Diaz in Brazil if Silva had been willing to fight Nick Diaz that same night.
One person who might be looking on somewhat nervously at these latest developments is Donald Cerrone who last week seemed to believe that he was being lined up to be McGregor’s next opponent, though from what the Irish superstar is saying it appears that it’s far from a done deal.
