Silva a Light Heavyweight?

What do you think the chances are the Anderson "the Spider" Silva ever moves up to the Light-Heavyweight division?

It would be interesting to see him take on the likes of Rampage, Liddell, or any other major competitor in that division.  What does everyone think?  Would Silva ever stand a chance of winning the Light-Weight crown?

I don't see Silva moving up. That 20 lbs. is a big 20 lbs. His frame is a little small to measure up with guys like you mentioned.

To me, it's a matter of dominating his class for years, moving down to take on GSP, or moving up to become an exciting and very, very good fighter but no longer the unquestioned dominant force in his division.

Silva dominates his division and sits atop most of the world's P4P rankings.  I just don't see him giving all that up to move into the UFC's premier division.  Rampage, The Iceman, the Axe Murderer, Shogun Rua: there is a lot to lose when every time you step into the ring you face an opponent of that caliber.

Could he do it?  Yes.  Would he own the belt?  No.  As incredible an artist as he is, one of his advantages is his length vs. other middleweights.  That disappears in the 205s.  He isn't very strong, ubt at 205 he'd be a weakling.  Look at his body by Jackson's.  That's a scary muscle mass give up locked linside a cage.

"He isn't very strong", I would have to respectfully disagree with this statement. He was able to basically manhandle/clinch up Franklin in both fights (and Franklin has fought at 205). I think we would agree Franklin is not a wussy 185 either. He seemed to hold his own strength-wise with Lutter as well. Look at almost ANYBODY by Jackson's...he has a lot of muscle mass, maybe the most in the division but that does not make him unbeatable.

I was not saying I ever see Silva moving up, I was just using theorhetical if's. I do not see him ever moving up unless they split the difference between 185 and the 205 for an exhibition match to frum up sales.

Fair point on the muscle mass comparison to Rampage; no one in Light Heavy matches up.  And Quinton's not unbeatable, no fighter is, with Silva at 185 being the closest.  Even he is beatable; he's no more overwhelmingly smothering than GSP, and he got knocked out by a very average fighter.

Speaking of weight class moves, if there was a half weight move for best p4p fighter in the world, I think it'd be Spider down and GSP up.  I'd pay a lot to see that.

Back to the point, while I immediately concede Spider is dominant and crushed Franklin, twice, I have zero doubt that latter is much stronger.  Silva is taller, longer, and not as six-pack-lean.  At the same weight, there just aren't enough other intangilbes to make up the muscle mass difference.  Silva wins with his perfect -and I mean perfect- technique.  He is certainly at the forefront of the world's true martial atrists.

Of course all this is just theoretical at this point,as you said.  I just believe the Spider's build is perfect for the weight class he is in, and that his natural advantages would be eliminated with the larger fighters.

Thanks for replying.