Anderson Silva responds to Conor McGregor’s interest in a fight: ‘It would be an honor’

Speaking on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show this week, former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor discussed what might be next if he gets by reigning lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC 229 this weekend.

Among the possibilities Conor McGregor mentioned were Dustin Poirier, Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, and Georges St-Pierre. Easily the most surprising of the bunch, however, was former UFC middleweight champion and occasional light heavyweight Anderson Silva.

“I’d be interested in an Anderson Silva bout,” McGregor said. “I swear to God. Anderson is a legend of the game. I’m sure he’s hunting for a few quid, as well.”

Speaking on Instagram on Wednesday morning, Anderson Silva responded to these comments from Conor McGregor. Apparently, he’s all for it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoecvhoAcsr/

“It would be an honor to test myself with Conor McGregor,” Anderson Silva wrote in Portuguese on Instagram (translation via MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz). “He’s an unorthodox fighter and has proven he must be respected. Let’s make it happen.

“The UFC wants super fights, I’m sure fans from all over the world want to see this fight. Professionally, I believe it would be incredible to test my martial arts abilities with a fighter like Conor McGregor in a true superfight. He’s focused on fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov now, after this fight I’m ready for this challenge. When and where he wants.”

This is not the first time Silva and McGregor have been discussed as potential opponents for one another. Silva briefly campaigned for a fight with McGregor in the year 2017, though nothing came of these efforts.

From the sounds of it, the fight is still very possible in the year 2018.

Would you be interested in seeing Conor McGregor and Anderson Silva fight? What weight do you expect they’d meet at?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 10/2/2018.