Anderson Silva's manager downplays a Jon Jones fight

While the UFC tries to sort out the next challenger for the UFC light-heavyweight championship at UFC on Fox 4 on Saturday at Staples Center, one potential super fight appears to be staring all MMA fans in the face: UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon

Jones vs. UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Jones has already destroyed Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Brandon Vera, Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader, who will all be competing at UFC on Fox 4 to become the No. 1 contender at 205 pounds. Silva has made 10 successful title defenses at 185 pounds since winning the title in 2006. A super fight between Jones and Silva at a catch-weight would seem to be a natural, right?

Silva's manager, Ed Soares, shot down that idea at the UFC on Fox 4 open workouts Wednesday at the JW Marriott hotel in downtown L.A.

"I mean, it makes sense yes and no in a way," Soares said. "Anderson is fighting a much younger guy, a much bigger guy and Jon Jones is going to be fighting a smaller guy who technically could be better than him. I can see why each guy wouldn't want to fight. What's the upside?"

The money generated by such a fight would be a pretty big upside.

"There's money out there regardless," Soares said.

"There is an upside, but if neither guy wants to fight what are you going to do? [UFC president] Dana [White] can't force a guy to fight at a bigger weight class. Anderson is the 185-pound champion. He'll fight anyone you put in front of him. Make Jon Jones make 185 pounds if you want that fight to happen.

"As of right now that's not a fight that interests Anderson."

Baldwin-based (fighter)Chris Weidman, Tim Boetsch, Brian Stann and Michael Bisping are among the potential challengers to emerge at 185 pounds. Weidman, who has five consecutive victories, has been quite vocal about his desire to be Silva's next challenger.

"It doesn't matter what I think," Soares said about Weidman as a potential challenger. "It really doesn't matter what I think. I mean, because he had an impressive win over Mark Munoz and (Demian) Maia? Sure."

That last "sure" came after a roll of the eyes and a pause. So what about former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. Last week, Diaz's manager and head trainer, Cesar Gracie, said Diaz would like to challenge Silva. Soares didn't immediately

brush aside that possibility.

"Sure, we'll consider anyone the UFC puts in front of us. We don't have a choice," Soares said. "I think Nick Diaz is a good opponent possibly. People say he's a smaller guy, but he's a fighter that comes out and fights every time, so he's gonna put on a good fight."

The fight Silva truly wants is a bout against UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

"We could do it at a catchweight," Soares said. "Why put a title on it? It's the pound-for-pound title. Who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world?

"I think it [Silva vs. St. Pierre] is a bigger fight [than Silva vs. Jones]. It's the biggest fight. The biggest fight possible is against Georges St. Pierre."