DANA WHITE ON POUND-FOR-POUND & SUPERFIGHTS
Pound-for-pound rankings in mixed martial arts are a highly debated topic that plays out on voting panels, website forums and around water coolers in workplaces on any given day.
There are really only three names being mentioned as the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world: Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Fedor Emelianenko, although Lyoto Machida's stock is quickly rising.
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White believes the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world are in his organization with Anderson Silva being No. 1 and Georges St. Pierre a close second.
"I still wouldn't call (St. Pierre) pound-for pound the best in the world. But I would say, yea, he's No. 2. No doubt about it," said the high profile president of the UFC. "Anderson Silva has been annihilating everybody for a long time. Georges has some work to do now.
"If Georges takes out Thiago Alves, he's on his way," added White. "The pound-for-pound to me, I would say Georges St. Pierre would be neck-and-neck with Anderson had he not lost to Matt Serra."
An Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre bout seems to be on a collision course if the stars align and both remain champions through their next fights.
"I think it's possible," White commented. "Right now, what I think we should do is guys stay in their weight classes for a while, but I'm a fan of super-fights."
White admitted he'd "absolutely" like to see the two highly regarded fighters test their skills against each other in the Octagon, but it probably won't happen in the near future. "I think if these guys continue to go unbeaten and keep fighting... what I like to see, I like to see weight classes cleaned out. When you empty a division and you're looking for that next challenge, why not step up and try to take it?"
Yet, White won't commit to a hard timeline for such a bout. "Do I think it will be by Super Bowl of next year? I don't know."
Pound-for-pound rankings in mixed martial arts are a highly debated topic that plays out on voting panels, website forums and around water coolers in workplaces on any given day.
There are really only three names being mentioned as the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world: Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Fedor Emelianenko, although Lyoto Machida's stock is quickly rising.
Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White believes the top two pound-for-pound fighters in the world are in his organization with Anderson Silva being No. 1 and Georges St. Pierre a close second.
"I still wouldn't call (St. Pierre) pound-for pound the best in the world. But I would say, yea, he's No. 2. No doubt about it," said the high profile president of the UFC. "Anderson Silva has been annihilating everybody for a long time. Georges has some work to do now.
"If Georges takes out Thiago Alves, he's on his way," added White. "The pound-for-pound to me, I would say Georges St. Pierre would be neck-and-neck with Anderson had he not lost to Matt Serra."
An Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre bout seems to be on a collision course if the stars align and both remain champions through their next fights.
"I think it's possible," White commented. "Right now, what I think we should do is guys stay in their weight classes for a while, but I'm a fan of super-fights."
White admitted he'd "absolutely" like to see the two highly regarded fighters test their skills against each other in the Octagon, but it probably won't happen in the near future. "I think if these guys continue to go unbeaten and keep fighting... what I like to see, I like to see weight classes cleaned out. When you empty a division and you're looking for that next challenge, why not step up and try to take it?"
Yet, White won't commit to a hard timeline for such a bout. "Do I think it will be by Super Bowl of next year? I don't know."