Anderson Silva said he’s honoring his word and partnering with Jake Paul to create an association for MMA fighters.
“The Spider” agreed to Paul’s bet ahead of their boxing match in 2022. Since the former UFC middleweight champion lost the bout in Arizona, he would have to help the YouTuber-turned-boxer create an association to assist fighters “get better pay and better healthcare.”
Even though there was no public movement on that matter for the past eight months, Silva said on this week’s episode of MMA Fighting podcast Trocação Franca he’s still working on it with his former opponent.
“It’s moving, it’s all in motion,” Silva said. “Jake is a very correct person, so it’s happening. To make sure it’s done the correct way and it’s enduring, it stays for future generations, it has to be well-planned and structured, and we’re working on it.”
Silva was one of the greatest fighters to ever enter the octagon, and will be officially inducted to the UFC Hall of Fame this July in Las Vegas. The Brazilian star is currently “busy” with two movie projects in the United States, but plans on re-entering cages and rings again in the future.
“The Spider” retired from MMA with a loss to Uriah Hall in October 2020, but told Trocação Franca he’s in talks with a Japanese promotion for a farewell bout in Japan.
Silva said he’s also interested in running it back with Paul — or possibly facing Diaz in the squared circle once he’s down with his movie gigs. Silva’s latest movie, Murder City, will be released July 30 on Tubi.
“Maybe we can fight the winner or whoever accepts the challenge to fight me,” Silva said. “Let’s see if that works.”
Paul will welcome Diaz to boxing after the Stockton superstar completed his UFC deal in 2022 with a submission victory over Tony Ferguson, and Silva foresees a close contest.
“They are both very tough,” Silva said. “Nate, we don’t even need to talk about him, right? [But] he has a big, big challenge ahead of him, which is fighting Jake. Jake has been working really hard and dedicating, even though some people think he’s just a YouTuber. No, he’s training. He trains with tough guys, has good coaches, and he’s showing he deserves respect. Let’s see what happens.”
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