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Silva not ready to relinquish UFC middleweight title ... yet

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Hot on the heels of reports that Anderson Silva had acquired a permanent taste for the 205-pound division, it appears that the most dominant middleweight champion in UFC history isn't quite ready to relinquish his throne at 185.

A recent column by Yahoo! Sports writer Dan Wetzel stated that Silva's manager, Ed Soares, told UFC President Dana White that his client was willing to make the move to light heavyweight permanent, even if it meant dropping his middleweight belt in the process.

Not so Soares told MMAWeekly.com, saying he's not sure where that information was drawn from.

"It's not true. I never said that to Dana," stated the Brazilian's chief negotiator. "I never said he would move up and relinquish the title. I have said to Dana that he'd like to fight again at 205 (but not permanently)."

After UFC 101, where Silva dismantled Forrest Griffin at 205, White indicated that Silva's next bout would likely be a drop back down to 185 to defend his belt against Dan Henderson. That would be a rematch of their first bout of a year-and-a-half ago, when Silva won with a decisive second round submission.

Soares isn't so sure that Henderson is the person that deserves the next middleweight title shot.

Since losing to Silva at UFC 82, Henderson has three straight victories: a unanimous decision over Rousimar Palhares at 185, a split decision win over Rich Franklin at light heavyweight, and a middleweight knockout victory over Michael Bisping.

"Does that really make him a number one contender? I feel a true number one opponent (at 185) would be if Henderson fought the winner of Nate Marquardt and Damian Maia," Soares told MMAWeekly.com. "That would produce a true number one contender... we could take another fight at 205 or a catchweight fight (in the meantime)."

As for his client's future, nothing has changed.

"I've always said the same thing, he wants the biggest fights possible, whether it's at 205 or 185."