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By: Frank Hyden, MMATorch contributor
Michael Bisping recently expressed frustration with Chael Sonnen getting multiple title shots. I totally understand where he's coming from. To be quite blunt, it's garbage that Sonnen is getting another title shot. The fact that it's in a division in which he hasn't competed in years is even more galling. I think Sonnen has some pictures of Dana White doing something he shouldn't. How else could you explain this title shot?
I know Dana considers Sonnen to be a top five draw for the UFC, but that's garbage too. Sonnen's fights with Anderson Silva drew big numbers, but that's because of Silva. Sonnen's other recent pay-per-view appearance was UFC 136 when he was the third fight from the top against Brian Stann. That event drew low numbers. That means that it wasn't Chael that drew the numbers, it was Silva. Regardless, it's likely that we only have one more Sonnen title fight to suffer through before he's done getting favors from the boss and we can get back to guys getting title shots who actually deserve it.
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Jon Jones has once again expressed interest in moving up and capturing the UFC Heavyweight Title. He said he'd like to hold them both, a result which would put him in exclusive company. To hold the championship in two different divisions would be a remarkable accomplishment. I think Jones could do it, but it would be very hard. Still, I think he's one of the few guys who are capable of doing it. It's in the future, of course, as Jones still has a handful of fights left in the light heavyweight division, and that's only if a new contender doesn't spring up. A move to heavyweight would likely only happen in two or three years, and that's only if Jones is able to beat all challengers to the Light Heavyweight Title.
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Anderson Silva recently said that he would fight Jon Jones for a 50% stake in the UFC. This is obviously negotiation (or him being tongue in cheek), but Dana White did say that Silva had a blank check if he would agree to fight Jones. I wouldn't expect negotiations to be public, but I still think this fight takes place next year or possible early 2014. There's just too much money on the table for this to not happen.
I don't think this will play out like the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao superfight that seems destined to never happen. The money for that fight would be astronomical, even more than Silva vs. Jones, but there's other factors stopping it. Floyd seems to keep putting up obstacle after obstacle to prevent the fight and there's no legislating power to get this done. That's where the difference is with the UFC. They'll get this done. There's no way that they'll let this opportunity slip away. There's too much to lose, and way too much to gain. I'm not sure what it'll take, but it'll be worth it for all involved.
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