UFC 200: Daniel Cormier to now face Anderson Silva

Tonight is the night! Let me first say that it has been a crazy few days in Las Vegas, and UFC 200 hasn’t even started yet. Jon Jones was kicked out of the main event due to an alleged anti-doping violation. Not only did he rob fans of a potential classic, but he also robbed Daniel Cormier of an opportunity. DC fought long and hard for this moment after a foot injury, and he wasn’t going to go leave Vegas without a fight. It looks like Dana White found his replacement.

When Daniel Cormier enters the octagon tonight, he will go one-on-one with a true UFC great. After multiple fighters nominated to fill in for Jon Jones, it was Anderson Silva who got the call. DC will face “The Spider” in a non-title, 3 round light heavyweight fight.

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The move by Dana White gives Cormier (17-1) a chance to fight for his family. It might also give him a chance to take out his aggression. The UFC posted behind the scenes videos leading up to UFC 200. When Dana White broke the news about Jon Jones to him, you can see how visibly upset DC was. He was willing to do anything to fight Jones. Now, he is ecstatic that he’s still fighting on the card, especially with someone like Silva. Even though he trained for one specific challenger for months, DC is up for anything. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Cormier stated:

“I am honored to share the Octagon with the one of the greatest fighters of all time. This is a very tough fight for me, and I have to fight smart and to do my best in order to win this fight. Thank you Anderson for stepping up, and thanks to Dana White and the UFC for making this happen. Now let’s go do this.”

This is an interesting opportunity and time for Anderson Silva (33-7-1), who is fighting two months after getting his gallbladder removed. The 41-year old last competed at UFC Fight Night 84, where he was defeated by Michael Bisping. I would not be surprised if he showed some ring rust, as his training hasn’t quite been as intense as Cormier’s.

Silva’s last light heavyweight fight took place against Stephen Bonnar at UFC 153 in 2012. “The Spider” stated to several media outlets that he was just in Las Vegas to be with his family. Conveniently, Silva just made weight. Although the timing may be questionable, it is no doubt that Silva has enough draw power to make this a very interesting fight.

After the initial Jon Jones media circus took over, playtime is over. This is a serious bout between two great competitors. Daniel Cormier will look to continue his domination and hope to get retribution one day. With or without Jon Jones, Cormier is a great fighter and will hope to continue his run against all challengers. A win for Silva could result in a title fight in the near future. While the timing may seem off, he has a chance to prove critics wrong.

A mistake by one individual has given two a unique opportunity. All bets are off tonight. Even with two days notice, it should be one heck of a fight to go along with a great card.