UFC Quick Quote: Nobody cared about Anderson Silva until he kicked Vitor Belfort in the face

"Until Anderson Silva kicked Vitor Belfort in the face, nobody cared about Anderson Silva. Then he blew up and became this huge star. Now everybody is like, 'you're [expletive] dead when he leaves.' What's gonna happen? This is a professional sport. The window of opportunity for athletes [is only so big]. There's always the next guy and the next guy and the next guy. People are like, ‘Can Chris Weidman carry this thing?' If Chris Weidman beats Vitor Belfort, people are all gonna be going, ‘Holy [expletive], Chris Weidman ... ‘"

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White is confident that reigning UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman can become a star with a huge win over Vitor Belfort later this year in Las Vegas, Nevada (details). Which, ironically, is the same place where former 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva blew up, thanks to a first-round knockout over "The Phenom." I guess White (via MMA Weekly) is overlooking the Brazilian's highlight-reel finishes over former champions Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson and Forrest Griffin, among others. But does that mean no one presently cares about the "All American," despite his last two performances? I guess mixed martial arts (MMA) fans really are a fickle bunch ...