Fine, I'll write about it

I will be brief because after one day I am already ready to move past this. As first reported by Michael Woods at CBS Sports and then everyone else, Dana White has refused a MMA fight between Roy Jones Junior and Anderson Silva.

Roy Jones, who enjoyed a long run as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world in the 1990s, has issued a challenge to the best mixed martial artist in the world, Anderson Silva.

The 40-year-old Jones, who is coming off a win against game but faded vet Omar Sheika last month, is willing to battle the 34-year-old Silva in the UFC Octagon, adhering to regular UFC rules.

"That's a question you have to ask Dana White," Soares told us. "We'd love to fight Roy Jones. Anderson wants to challenge himself, he wants legendary fights."

So, how about it, Dana? Should fans of both disciplines get geared up for the crossover clash?

"You won't see a Silva versus Jones fight while Silva is under contract with me," White said Tuesday. "I don't want to say anything bad about Roy Jones, I like Roy Jones and was a fan of his, but he mattered like fifteen years ago. He's not anywhere near the best boxer in the world. He must've spent all his money."

.....

"I could do it, make it huge, make money, but I could have done a fight like this when we were bleeding money (in the early 2000s)," White said. "The fight would make some money, but it hurts MMA in the long term. We don't do that because we love the sport. That's a Pride or K-1 matchup. It's not what we do."

It cannot be measured how much Dana White has done for Mixed Martial Arts. If it was not for him I myself would probably have never become such a passionate fan. This does not mean he is still good for the sport. He needs to compromise he behavior and find an acceptable medium because I want Mixed Martial Arts to fully integrate itself into the mainstream. He has the charisma and personality to accomplish this, but he needs to find the professional version.

However, he is 100% right to not let this fight happen. Very little can be gained and a lot can be lost by accepting this fight. Anderson Silva is a man who always wants to challenge himself (at least that is what everyone writes, how the hell would I know) so he would probably try to stand and trade with Jones. If he does this he will lose. He cannot beat Roy Jones Jr, no matter how far removed from his prime, in a boxing match and Silva would try to make this a boxing match. If Silva lost MMA would take a large hit because the mainstream would simply view it as a boxer beating an MMA fighter at his own game, even though it would play out as a boxing match. And Silva is not only a fighter, but the P4P best fighter. There is a lot to lose with a loss.

If Silva takes the fight to the ground or uses his Muay Thai to beat Jones then it is what everyone expected. Silva not only beat won a fight against a less versed opponent, but Jones is past his prime when Silva is in his prime. There are many excuses to minimize a win by Silva so there is very little to gain. The UFC does not need the one time payout. The gain is not worth the risk.