UFC reportedly targeting Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson rematch for Fox debut on Nov. 12, Lorenzo Fertitta says "I would love to do that"

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC President Dana White have both stated in recent interviews that they are awaiting the results from this Saturday's UFC 134 event before determining what they'll do in the main event of their Fox debut in November. There appears to be good reason for that, as signs are pointing to Anderson Silva's involvement in the UFC's network television debut.

Tatame.com reported on Tuesday that the UFC is targeting a Middleweight Championship fight between Silva and a returning Dan Henderson for the Fox card, with the caveat that Chael Sonnen could be put into that slot if Henderson would not move to middleweight.

Henderson posted a comment on Twitter that seemed to hint at that possibility, responding to a post from Jay Glazer about the UFC on Fox deal by saying, "Stoked too, Jay. This could work out well for both of us. Lol."

In addition to the report and Henderson's comment, Tatame got a follow-up response from Fertitta. Though he was non-committal in the response, saying simply they were going to bring a big fight for that event, he did have a positive reaction to the prospects of that fight.

"I would love to do that," said Fertitta. "Anderson just needs a win."

Should Silva come out of Saturday's event with a win over Yushin Okami and without much in the way of injuries, a rematch with Henderson could be a very big fight for the Fox debut. They first met at UFC 82 in 2008 in a Pride vs. UFC unification bout, where Silva defeated Henderson by submission in the second round.

If the fight happens, Henderson will make his first UFC appearance since July of 2009, while Silva would look for his 15th straight win in the UFC.

Penick's Analysis: I don't like this as a middleweight fight, but if it was booked at light heavyweight I might change my tune. Henderson simply hasn't performed as well in recent years at 185 lbs. as he has at 205 lbs., and I think he'd be a more dangerous matchup if he was more comfortable and not forced to cut that extra weight. That said, this is still far from set in stone, and nothing is going to be confirmed at this point in time. One issue with the original report is the belief that Sonnen would be a part of the fight on Fox. Seeing as that event is taking place in Anaheim, Calif., I wouldn't expect Sonnen to be anywhere near that card after his issues with the California State Athletic Commission. If this fight gets booked, it could definitely be a very big draw for the UFC on network television, and they'd be able to use their "best fighter in the world" moniker to sell Silva to the masses. But if any of this is going to come to pass, Silva has to take care of things against Okami in Brazil this Saturday.

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