Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera targeted for UFC 125

[pumpt73]

source: www.mmajunkie.com


A pair of light heavyweights looking to rebound from recent high-profile losses will likely meet in January in what could easily be viewed as a "must-win" for both contestants involved.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the contest that the UFC is targeting a matchup between Thiago Silva (14-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Brandon Vera (11-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) at UFC 125.

At least one of the contestants has agreed to the contest, but bout agreements have yet to be distributed.

While not yet officially announced by the promotion, UFC 125 is expected to take plan on Jan. 1, 2011, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Silva returns to the cage one day shy of a full year since his most recent outing, a UFC 108 loss to Rashad Evans in the evening's main event. Prior to that fight, rumors of an ankle injury spread throughout the MMA community, but Silva's camp confirmed after the contest that was actually an ailing back that slowed the Brazilian.

Silva was then scheduled to face Tim Boetsch at August UFC 117 event, but the former title contender re-injured his back and was forced to withdraw from the event.

Despite opening his octagon career with four-straight stoppage victories, Silva is just 1-2 in his past three contests. Due to various periods of inactivity, Silva has registered just one UFC win in the past 27 months.

Meanwhile, Vera fights for the first time since a March loss to fast-rising prospect Jon Jones. "The Truth" was overwhelmed in the contest and suffered multiple facial fractures in the 3 minute and 19 second affair.

Once considered a top prospect in both the heavyweight and 205-pound divisions, Vera is now mired in a two-fight slump and is just 3-5 since December 2006.
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I have a feeling this is a must win for Vera. While Silva has dropped 2 of his last 3, one was a title fight and the other a contender eliminator. Vera is 3-3 since he cut to 205lbs, and I don't think he can afford a third consecutive loss, unless he puts on one helluva fight.

 

[Colin Gimp]

vera needs a better ground game, against Silva he doesn't really have to worry even though he's a black belt. This is going to be a war on the feet. Silva has shown that he's relying on his heavy hands, some of my buddys go on and say he is the fastest with the heaviest hands in the divison, but i'm holding my breath on silva. if you look at it on paper, Silva's biggest win is against Keith Jardine. Machida picked him apart somewhat. Yeah he shoulda/coulda beat Rashad, but he didn't, supposably he walked into that injured and has been injured ever since. biggest factor on paper is that Silva stopped Jardine in first round while Vera went the distance.

Personally, if he slept on Jones he could sleep on Silva, but this doesn't make sense but I think Jones has a higher fight intelligence then both of them and I don't think Silva will be able to do what Jones did to him. Yeah Silva is fast and heavy handed but Vera's looked better every time i see him. Jon Jones ran threw him but that guy is ridiciously creative with his elbows and he broke vera's face ffs. It's not like Vera went to sleep, crying in pain ya ok. I watched fight girls and kerry vera was on it so i'm a vera fan lols. He's going to finally be able to focus on his muay thai without having to worry about getting taking down and with the possibility of losing three in a row, he signed onto this fight expecting a war, expecting to throw everything he has in the ring and for being an artisan of muay thai in mma i'ma go with the fan fav. Silva's going to go in there expecting to test Vera's jaw and he's going to get a rude awakening. Unless this fight was forced on him, I don`t really see why Vera would sign onto this fight without knowing he`s a better Vera then his past two fights. Silva will sleep on Vera, See this going all three rounds with Vera winning it. Silvacould stop him early though.