In a sport known for its brutality, Ultimate Fighting Champion middleweight title holder Anderson Silva has issued a dose of brutal honesty.
The 38-year-old Silva said he would probably lose to 25-year-old UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones if they fight in a mixed martial arts match, MMAFighting.com is reporting.
Speaking at a luncheon in Burbank, Calif., Silva said, "Jon Jones, in his class, is the best. If I fight Jon Jones, I don't think I'm going to win."
Silva is scheduled to take on Chris Weidman in the main event of Saturday's UFC 162 in Las Vegas. When MMAFighting.com caught up with him and asked him to explain his comments.
"Jon Jones is different," Silva said. "He's large. He's young. But in the fight, I see in Jon Jones, I see myself from a long time ago. He's very smart."
The two have been mentioned in MMA circles of being possible opponents in a "superfight," but Silva squashed those rumors, saying other than experience, he would have no advantage over Jones.
"I don't know. In my opinion, 'Spider' has more experience than Jon Jones, but that's the only advantage," Silva said, referring to himself.
5thround.com reported that Silva is more interested in a bout against welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.
Jones responded to Silva's comments by tweeting, "Honored to hear the statements Silva made regarding a super fight me earlier today.. Doesn't change much, still working hard."
According to 5thround.com, Silva's opponent Saturday said any superfight talk regarding the middleweight champion is premature. Weidman says he plans on taking Silva's belt, UFC president Dana White told 5thround.com.
"I talked to Chris Weidman myself, the guy looks me right in the eye and says, 'I'm telling you, I apologize that I'm going to [expletive] up all your superfights (because if you take Anderson Silva out of the mix, the superfights are all gone) and I'm gonna be your next champion," White said. "But what I'm gonna do for you is, I'll give him an immediate rematch in Madison Square Garden as soon as he loses.'
"It's verbatim what the guy said to me."
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