Anderson Silva Says He Has Three Fights Left ‘Then It’s Done’
Former UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva will face undefeated upstart Israel Adesanya at UFC 234 on Feb. 9 in Australia, which he says is the first of his final three fights.
“I have three more and then it’s done. It’s over,” Silva during a media day on Monday at his gym in Los Angeles.
If Silva sticks by the final three bouts of his contract being the final three bouts of his career, they could already largely be mapped out for him, especially if he defeats Adesanya.
UFC president Dana White promised Silva a middleweight title shot should he defeat Adesanya. So if he wins on Feb. 9, his next likely fight is a title fight against the winner of the UFC 234 main event between 185-pound champion Robert Whittaker and challenger Kelvin Gastelum.
After that and give his druthers, Silva does have a scenario in mind as to how he would like his career to wind down.
There has long been a superfight between Silva and Georges St-Pierre simmering just below the surface of the Octagon, but it has never come to full boil. Now that St-Pierre has only fought once in the past five years and may never fight again, Silva has another superfight in mind in his "perfect world" scenario.
“At his point in my career, I believe that the good challenge is the superfight,” Silva said. “I talk to Dana about Georges St-Pierre, about (Conor) McGregor, about McGregor especially because McGregor is a challenge, this fight. I just talk to Dana a lot about the fight that’s very interesting."
If it were up to him, that is how Silva's final three would play out: defeat Adesanya, fight for the title, and then fight McGregor, since St-Pierre seems to have little interest anymore.
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"(Conor) is an amazing fighter and a legend in this sport and let’s go see. That’s a good game, superfight, and it’s very interesting for my fans."
Of course, if Silva defeats Adesanya and then wins the belt, he would likely be required to defend it before stepping away or facing the likes of McGregor in a catchweight fight, which is likely where a bout with the Irishman would have to be contested if it ever became a reality.
First, however, Silva will have to get past Adesanya, who many are likening to the newer, younger version of the 43-year-old former champion. The two will square off as part of the UFC 234: Whittaker vs. Gastelum undercard, and then Silva will see where the final fights of his career unfold from there.
