Potential fights for Anderson Silva's return

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

"The Spider" confirmed that 2014 will not be the year he returns to cast his web inside the octagon. 

After breaking his leg (in half) at UFC 168 in a rematch with Chris Weidman, many thought it was the end to Anderson Silva's long illustrious career. However, only eight weeks from his surgery, Silva has bounced back and is already hitting pads. Unfortunately, Silva will not be returning in 2014 but has left the door open to a mid-2015 return.

"These rumors that I'll fight at UFC 181 or any other event around that date aren't true. This year is over for me. There's a chance I'll fight in the first half of 2015." 

Now, if Silva does return that leaves the question: Whom will Silva fight? 

Here is a list of three fighters that I want to see Silva fight once he returns: 

1) Chris Weidman 

(Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports)

Yes, Weidman has beat him twice but there still feels like a sense of, “Did he really beat him?” The first victory, Silva got caught and Weidman took advantage of it. The second victory, we expected to see a more serious Silva in the cage to recapture his title. It definitely seemed this would be Silva’s last fight as he took FOREVER during his entrance. Then we all know what happened. (Hyperlink above) I say The Spider gets one more chance to capture the UFC gold he held for seven years.

2) Lyoto Machida

                        (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Wouldn’t this be an amazing fight? Both are counter strikers, Brazilians, and friends with one another. The storylines would be amazing as well. Silva recently said in an interview, “I don’t plan to fight any friend of mine, especially Lyoto, but if I earn a title shot in the future and we have to fight each other, we will.” The current UFC middleweight rankings have Silva, Machida, and Belfort at one, two, and three respectively. Weidman and Machida are scheduled to fight for the middleweight title next, and Belfort has assured fans that the UFC has promised him the winner of Weidman and Machida.                                                    

3) Georges St. Pierre

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images

This fight might be 2-3 years late but nonetheless it will prove to be entertaining. St. Pierre is coming off a controversial, to say the least, win over now-UFC welterweight champion, Johny Hendricks. Silva is coming off two losses and a broken shin. What makes this fight interesting is that fact that these two guys were the best in the UFC for a long time. Both were untouchable champions that will go down as some of the best fighters ever. St. Pierre has never been a fan of super-fights but recently changed his tone, welcoming the idea if only it was a fair fight. Bothered by the weight difference between the two, St. Pierre walks around nearly at 195lbs and fights at 170lbs, while Silva walks around at 230lbs and fights at 185lbs. Silva would have to cut some extra weight for this fight to happen. It would be the super-fight every UFC fan has been waiting for, only a tad bit late.
UPDATE: Reported that GSP has suffered a torn ACL

With the return of The Spider, 2015 will be a exciting year for UFC fans everywhere. Let us know what you think and who you want to see Anderson Silva fight when he returns to the UFC in 2015.

- Dez