Silva, Jones say ‘no, no, no’ but White says ‘yes, yes, yes’

The dismantling of yet another light heavyweight did nothing to change the mind of Ultimate Fighting Championship star Anderson Silva when it comes to accepting a megafight against Jon Jones.

Silva ventured up from his customary 185-pound class to knock out 205-pound Las Vegan Stephan Bonnar in the main event of UFC 153 on Saturday night, but he says the move was just for one fight, like his first two times fighting at light heavyweight.

Silva, the longtime middleweight champion, says he has no interest in fighting Jones, the dominant light heavyweight champ, in what would be the biggest fight in the sport's history. Jones has also been dismissive of the potential bout in the past.

Not surprisingly, UFC president Dana White insists he can make the fight.

"I know my man says, 'No, no, no,' but the amount of money that would be offered for that fight, I guarantee you, I will make Anderson Silva say, 'Yes, yes, yes,' " White said at the postfight news conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Silva, however, appears to be more interested in the smaller, at least literally, challenge of reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

St. Pierre is coming off an 18-month layoff due to a torn ACL to fight interim champion Carlos Condit at UFC 154 in Montreal next month. For several years, St. Pierre-Silva was the fight thought to be the biggest potential matchup out there, but Jones has since emerged.

■ ANOTHER SHOW CANCELED - Strikeforce announced last week that a second straight event has been called off.

The planned Nov. 3 card in Oklahoma City has joined a Sept. 29 card in Sacramento as casualties of an unfortunate run of injuries.

The main and co-main event had already been scrapped from the Nov. 3 card, as Frank Mir was forced to pull out of a scheduled heavyweight meeting with Daniel Cormier, and middleweight champion Luke Rockhold had to pull out of his planned defense against Lorenz Larkin.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said in a release the organization plans to announce a new event for early 2013.

"Due to a series of injuries, we were forced to cancel the upcoming card on Nov. 3, but are already working to put together a stacked card in January," he said.

■ SHIELDS SUSPENDED - UFC middleweight Jake Shields was fined nearly $6,000 and had his Aug. 11 victory over Ed Herman overturned to a no contest by the Colorado Boxing Commission after he failed a drug test.

Shields was also issued a six-month suspension. The substance found in his system has not been revealed.

The self-proclaimed vegan was forthright about the transgression in a release issued by his management.

"Prior to my professional bout at UFC 150 in Denver, I used a substance prohibited by Colorado Boxing Commission rules. This was a mistake that I fully regret. I have shared this issue with my family and the UFC and I have apologized to them and now I also apologize to you, the fans. I promise this will never occur again in my fighting career," he stated. "I accept the Boxing Commission's decision for a six-month suspension, which will expire in February. I ask that you accept my apology. I will be back fighting soon, and hope that the fans of MMA will support me until that time."

■ WINTER BLOCKBUSTER - The UFC announced St. Pierre's comeback fight will be broadcast live in more than 350 movie theaters across the country.

Fans in Nevada will need to drive north, however, as two theaters in Reno are the only spots in the state where the event is slated to air on the big screen.

UFC 154, featuring the Condit-St. Pierre welterweight title bout, will take place Nov. 17.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.