Last week, the UFC released Wanderlei Silva from his contract with the promotion after he publicly retracted his previous statements about fixed fights in the UFC. The contractual release means Silva is free to pursue other opportunities outside of North America, where he remains indefinitely suspended. One of the promotions interested in his service is Japanese upstart Rizin Fighting Federation.
According to the promotion's vice president Jerry Millen, Rizin is very interested in signing Silva, a Pride FC staple and one of the most popular foreign fighters amongst the Japanese audience.
"It's Wanderlei Silva, of course I'd love to see Wanderlei Silva in Japan," Millen told Submission Radio. "He's a warrior. Wanderlei Silva is one of my favourite fighters in the world because Wanderlei Silva brings it. Every fight, win or lose. Wanderlei Silva is a warrior and he brings it. Either you're going to kick his ass or he's going to kick your ass and he's a great - I love Wanderlei Silva. Very good friend and I would love to see Wanderlei in Japan, so we'll see."
Millen was also open to the suggestion of a potential match between Wanderlei and Fedor Emelianenko.
"Sure, I think it be a great fight. I mean we'll see if we can make it materialize, but I think it'd be a huge fight. I think people would love to see that. I'd love to see it even though I'm close to both of them. I'd hate to see friends fight, but hey, it's a sport and friends have to fight because that's just the way the business is."
Asked if he would pursue other fighters for Fedor like Brock Lesnar, Millen once again explained that he would happily entertain the idea if it were a realistic option.
"If Brock wants to fight, we would definitely entertain it. I know Fedor, you know, we've talked about it. I know Brock is wrapped up in the WWE, I just don't know what his...I'm sure he still has a contract, I think he still has a contract in place with the UFC. So I don't know. They would never, never allow that to happen. So if he doesn't have a contract with the UFC, sure it could happen. You know, the WWE, Stephanie's over there running a great show and Vince, and I know they were big Pride fans, and Shane McMahon was actually a huge Pride fan and also like a bigger Fedor fan. And so yeah, it could happen if Brock says he wants to come out. But yeah, I think he's under UFC contract. But we'd definitely take him."
http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2016/1/2...p-fedor-vs-brock-lesnar-or-wanderlei-silva-if