Talk is picking up that the UFC may be looking to sign a mach between Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz. Perhaps the rhetoric has picked up because neither man seems opposed to the idea. And for the UFC, the fight makes sense, at it puts together two of the company’s biggest draws in a year where PPV #s are down.
It is going to be a hard line to make for the bookies. With Silva, you have an all time great returning from a devastating leg break at nearly 40 years old, while Diaz is an anti-hero type who has a strong following when it comes to the books. There are a few similarities between the two that are remarkable when written – both have lost their last two fights and both will have been away from the octagon for over a year. Still, the fight will generate enough interest to probably be the highest selling PPV of 2014 if it can be made to happen.
Silva is going to be bigger, though Diaz has a lot of reach and savvy in what is likely to be a stand up fight. It is a good physical match up, in that neither seems to have a massive physical advantage one way or the other
Strangely, this fight could come down to motivation. Make no mistake about it and do not be misled by false humility, Anderson Silva loved being the #1 fighter in the world. At first, the UFC hated him, as he spoke no english, was hard to deal with and at times fought really unappealingly, but he stuck to his way of thinking and doing things and he enjoyed every minute of his stay at the top. He wants a taste of that back, and that motivation will go a long way for Silva if his leg holds up in a fight.
Diaz however, may be on the wrong end of the motivational spectrum. Diaz always got up for fights by being emotional and angry. Remember, Diaz is ‘retired’ because he has been thinking about his motivations for fighting and questioning himself. The very reason he is retired is because he wants superfights and more money, as if he is looking to replace that old motivation. And though Silva may be disrespectful and quirky, it is hard to see Diaz getting genuinely pissed off at Silva. If Diaz’ stays true to form, he will be bothered by the magnitude of the spotlight this fight will bring, and he has lost when under that scrutiny before.
