Logan Paul vs Anderson Silva more likely than ever after statement from Paul’s manager

After taking on Floyd Mayweather, YouTube star Logan Paul has seemingly set his sights on MMA legend Anderson Silva — and a bout between the two is looking more likely than ever before.

In late June, former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva — who holds the world record for the longest UFC title reign at 2,457 days — mentioned in an interview with MMAJunkie that he’d like to fight one of the Paul brothers.

“I respect both, and I respect the sport. I think everything’s possible. I think it’s the next fight may be with Logan Paul, maybe,” the fighter said.

On July 20, nearly a month after Silva’s interview, DMs were leaked from MMA fighter Dillon Danis that claimed a “huge event” will be happening in Dubai on September 19, with the main card being Logan Paul vs Anderson Silva.

Needless to say, fans lost their collective minds over the potential bout — but it might be more than a mere possibility.

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On July 22, Logan Paul’s manager, Jeff Levin, leaked some key details to ESPN regarding the possible matchup between one of the biggest influencer-boxers and one of MMA’s greatest legends of all time.

According to Levin, the two are in talks for a possible fight later this year, which would match up with the September 19 date given by Danis’ DMs.

That’s not all; Levin also disclosed that the team isn’t certain if Paul’s bout against Silva will be a sanctioned one, if it happens.

“We just haven’t got there yet,” Levin said of the situation.

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Paul’s last match against 50-0 champ Floyd Mayweather was similarly an unsanctioned bout and was an 8-round, special exhibition match. While no winner was declared, many congratulated Paul for going the distance, while others noted a moment during the bout where it seemed Mayweather was holding up his opponent.

While nothing is set in stone yet, it appears that Paul is more than hyped about the possibility, saying: “Growing up, I wanted to be Anderson Silva. …I want to fight like him and be famous like him, and now his goal is to fight me?”