RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's UFC world middleweight champion Anderson Silva has for the first time admitted the possibility of a showdown with American Jon Jones.
Silva has repeatedly ruled out the prospect of facing the current UFC light heavyweight champion, saying he only wants to compete in the middleweight category.
But the 37-year-old revealed during an event in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday that he could be tempted to change his mind.
"People are talking so much about this fight," Silva said. "My weight is 84kg - that's my category. But I am on the UFC payroll. If he [Jones] accepts an offer and takes the cash from [UFC president] Dana White it's going to be difficult for me to refuse.
"Money isn't what motivates me to fight. I do it because I love it. It [the Jones bout] is not something I would like to do but if it happened it would have to be at a combined weight.
"His belt wouldn't be worth it. I already have mine and I don't want to give it up by going for a title in another category."
Silva kept his six-year unbeaten run intact last Saturday (Oct. 14) by stopping American Stephan Bonnar in the first round at UFC 153 in Rio.
He agreed to step up to Bonnar's light middleweight category for a one-off duel after a series of injury-forced withdrawals threatened the cancellation of the event.
White earlier this week said he would do everything in his power for the Silva-Jones battle to go ahead.
"I'm going to sit down with Anderson's Silva's agent and make this fight happen. It's what the fans want," White said.
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