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RIO DE JANEIRO – Anderson Silva is alongside Jon Jones in Jones' quarrel with Israel Adesanya.
In the wake of his provisional victory over the middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 this weekend, Adesanya (17-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) found himself plunged into a war words with Jones (24-1, 18-1 UFC), who is the current champion of light heavyweight UFC.
The crux of the problem seems to come from Adesanya's victory over Silva (34-9 MMA, 17-5 UFC) at UFC 234 in February and Jones' call after the "Stylebender" or not. This evolved into a back and forth on a future fight, and after witnessing everything, Silva thinks that Adesanya was irrelevant.
"In my opinion, as an athlete, he has disrespected Jon Jones," Silva told reporters, including MMA Junkie, today in Brazil. "I think for the company, for (UFC President) Dana (White), it's great. It's a great deal for the UFC. Whether they fight or not, the UFC wins – and the fans. But there is a lack of respect. I think he's crossed the line a bit. "
Silva said she understands that Adesanya is "young" and full of vigor. However, he is traditionalist and believes it is important to show respect for the most successful fighters who have been in the sport for a long time. Adesanya showed this respect to "The Spider" before their meeting earlier this year, and he thinks the same thing should happen with Jones.
"Over time, he will learn how to handle these things," said Silva. "I think he has to respect everything Jon Jones has done. They are two great fighters. In the future, who knows – they could fight. But I come from a time when you have the honor. You respect everyone's space. And that's my opinion.
Silva said that he was not trying to shoot Adesanya. However, the former longtime champion has practiced a lot in the sport and, although he knows that the beef could help lead to a big fight on the line, he would like Adesanya to be more Reserve.
"This is my personal opinion because Israel is young and Jon Jones has a long history in this sport," Silva said. "I think Adesanya must respect Jon Jones, but for the company, it's good for Dana.
"I respect all the fighters, especially Jon Jones. Jon Jones is my younger brother and I have no problem talking about Jon Jones. He is the best fighter in the world. "
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