Gegard Mousasi wants Anderson Silva in a boxing match — ‘I’ve been pushing for it’

Gegard Mousasi versus Anderson Silva is one of those dream match ups that just was never meant to be. But ... it’s still possible in a boxing ring, right? That’s what the current Bellator Middleweight champion is interested in, anyway.

“Unfortunately I’ve fought twice the last two years,” Mousasi said on The MMA Hour. “I would have loved to fight more but it’s the pandemic. They’re gonna keep me busy this year. Three times and I want to fight Anderson Silva in boxing. My managers are gonna push for that fight. You, Anderson, don’t run away from me.”

Throughout his career, Mousasi has been among the best no matter where he’s fighting or which weight it’s at. The Dutchman, 48-7-2 overall, has only lost once in his last dozen outings. Earlier on, he even found himself kickboxing at times where he’s an unbeaten 5-0 on record.

While Mousasi departed Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to reign over Bellator’s 185-pound landscape, the legendary “Spider” Silva has also since parted ways with his long-time mixed martial arts (MMA) home.

The Brazilian’s last MMA fight came in Oct. 2020 when suffering a fourth round technical knockout against Uriah Hall. In his two boxing appearances that have followed, Silva is 2-0 after taking on the likes of Julio Caesar Chavez Jr. and Tito Ortiz.

“Now it’s up to [Silva],” Mousasi said. “I think it’s not very interesting [to fight him in MMA]. In MMA he has lost, but in boxing, he’s still winning. I think it’s different and it’s more entertaining.

“I threw it out to [Bellator President] Scott [Coker] and Showtime.... I’ve been pushing for it.”

Next on Mousasi’s plate will be the undefeated (11-0) “Mr. VanZant” Austin Vanderford as the two collide in Bellator 275’s main event this Friday night (Feb. 25, 2022) in Dublin, Ireland. A win for the 36-year-old Mousasi would make it the tenth title fight victory in his illustrious career.