Who is worthy enough to face Anderson Silva?

Dan Henderson….. check

Forrest Griffin….. check

Rich Franklin ….. check (twice)

Demian Maia ….. check

Chael Sonnen ….. check

Vitor Belfort ….. check

The list of challengers that UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva has beaten continues to grow longer with each of his fights. In fact, the Brazilian phenom has not lost a fight dating way back to April 2006. He is currently riding a 14 fight win streak, a rarity in the MMA world. How could this carnage possibly happen? Was the level of competition not good enough? Or is he just that damn good? Perhaps an even better question: Is there any competitor currently in the middleweight division who could hand him his first loss in five years?

On the topic of Anderson Silva’s next possible opponent, there has been much speculation on a megafight taking place between him and current welterweight champion Georges St Pierre. This fight makes plenty of sense as these two are considered by many people as the best pound for pound fighters in the world. However, in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, the immortal Dana White explained that this fight is a “fantasy fight.” To further explain, he claimed that “other things have to happen before this fight can even be talked about.” Perhaps we will not be entertained by a Silva- St Pierre showdown in the very near future.

Find great unique MMA style t-shirts & clothing online from Intimidation Clothing!

But Anderson Silva has not run out of potential challengers in the middleweight

division yet. A fight between two champions of different weight classes can without question be a huge draw for the UFC. Where does that leave the rest of the fighters in the middleweight class? From an ethical standpoint, it would be a figurative slap in the face to all middleweight contenders to bypass their opportunity for a title shot. A superfight between St Pierre and Silva would overshadow all the other middleweight contenders who have worked hard to climb the UFC ladder of success. Everyone knows that success does not come without blood, sweat, and tears. There IS a middleweight contender who has worked very hard to reach the top of the mountain. He is still waiting patiently for his opportunity. His name is Michael Bisping.

Let’s take a look at a few of the highlights of Bisping’s UFC resume:

* The Ultimate Fighter 3 champion

* Served as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 9

* Fight record is 22-3

* Presently ranked as the #10 middleweight in the world

* Currently on a 3-fight win streak

Why Michael Bisping has not been granted a title shot as of yet is wide open to interpretation. It may be due in part to his post-fight antics following his victory over Jorge Rivera. Bisping, overcome with emotion as a direct result of Rivera’s pre-fight trash talk, spat at Rivera’s corner and told Rivera “go home loser.” After the action had quieted down, Bisping apologized for his demeanor in a post-fight interview and expressed his desire to be a good ambassador for the sport of MMA. According to Dana White, he did not receive a bonus for his share in promoting the fight, which served as his punishment for his unprofessionalism. So Bisping paid the price for his behavior. When will he be granted a shot at the middleweight gold?

> Look to Pro Fighting Fans for an UFC clothing & merchandise available online!

Michael Bisping has been a part of the UFC since 2006, essentially making him a journeyman fighter. He has maintained a consistent fight schedule during his UFC tenure. Of his three losses, only one came by way of knockout, at the hands of Dan Henderson. He has excellent striking skills, which have been a determining factor in his professional career. He has won 13 of his fights by knockout. He will pose a formidable challenge for Anderson Silva, if and when this fight is to take place anytime soon.

It will not be in the best interest of the UFC to match Silva up against a challenger that he has already beaten. Nor will it be in the best interest of the fans to pit Silva against St Pierre right away. Dream fights of this magnitude are better off being delayed as long as possible to generate more interest and promote a stronger buildup leading up to the fight itself. Everyone will benefit from watching the apparently unbeatable Silva take on a new, hungry challenger. Most people love to root for the underdog. Michael Bisping’s track record in the UFC hardly qualifies him as an underdog. If given the opportunity, Michael Bisping would love to add UFC Middleweight Champion to his already impressive MMA resume.

By John DeAvila Jr.
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer