According to Anderson Silva’s manager Ed Soares, "The Spider" is already looking past his light heavyweight debut against James Irvin on July 19th.

According to Soares, who appeared as a guest on today’s edition of Tagg Radio, Silva’s next fight will be a title defense against Yushin Okami, assuming all goes well in the fight with Irvin.

A date for the fight will not be determined until after July 19th and will depend on the status of Silva’s health. However rumors are surfacing that the UFC is targeting UFC 88 on September 6th in Atlanta.

Silva has been on a virtual "Rampage" since joining the UFC midway through 2006. He has dismissed six straight fighters in a row defeating all of them via stoppage in two rounds or less. He has disposed of some of the middleweight divisions top dogs including Rich Franklin twice, Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt and Travis Lutter.

While the 185lb mixed martial arts sensation could be the first to own belts in two divisions simultaneously, he has made it clear that the 205lb crown is not on his agenda. Silva’s manager confirmed that Silva has no intentions of fighting his friend and cohort, Lyoto Machida, who would most likely be an obstacle on his path to the title.

"[Silva] doesn’t want to make a run at the (light-heavyweight) championship because his friend Lyoto is in the line for it," Soares said. "He doesn’t want to fight Lyoto, and Lyoto doesn’t want to fight him."

For now his focus will remain on the division that made him a star. He is more interested in putting on exciting events that owning belts in two divisions.

Stand by for more hardcore MMA News!

The Sun-Sentinal.com reported on Sunday that UFC champions and friends, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Anderson Silva, will be opening their own mixed martial arts academy this month in downtown Miami.

The academy will be fittingly named, Nogueira and Silva Mixed Martial Arts Academy, and will be located inside Johnny Rock Fitness at 90 SW 8th St., off Brickell Avenue.

The grand opening of the 15,000 square foot training facility will take place on May 16 where a seminar will be held called “What It Takes To Be A Champion”. The seminar will be conducted by the champs of course along with other instructors and will begin at 2pm.

Nogueira and Silva, who already own academies in Brazil and Dallas, will use the new academy to train together for upcoming fights, give seminars and teach adults and children no matter what their age or skill level. Nogueira will also continue his tradition of working with underprivileged kids, ages four to fourteen, as he does at home in Brazil where he says that he works with 160 children.

This will be the first MMA academy to ever be headed by two current UFC champions. Also coaching at the academy will be Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo blackbelt, Daniel Valverde, as well as Nogueira’s little brother, Antonio Rogerio, who is expected to join the crew next summer.

Nogueira plans on making Miami his second home and even compares the streets and people to his native country of Brazil. He also plans to purchase a condo close to the new academy.

For information or details regarding the new academy, call Juliana Nogueira at 305-200-2789.

Saturday nights UFC 82 event was a wake up call for all 185lb fighters across the globe. It might be a good time to start considering another weight class. At least if you plan on becoming the UFC’s middleweight champion.

Standing in your way if you do decide to take the plunge, is a 6′2 185lb Brazilian striker with the precision timing of a Grande Complication watch. Fearless with his attacks, Anderson "The Spider" Silva, lights up his opponents like christmas trees overwhelming them with dynamic punch, kick and knee combinations. He moves effortlessly, stays light in his feet and is extremely elusive. He is accurate, controlled, patient and methodical.

This combined with his desire to win and complete dedication of mind, body and spirit to the sport of mixed martial arts makes him one of the most dangerous men on the planet earth.

As was the case on Saturday at UFC 82 "Pride of a Champion" as Anderson Silva took on, what many thought to be the only middleweight that had a chance of beating "The Spider", Dan Henderson, in a five round championship bout. If there was a recipe for defeating Anderson Silva, "Hollywood" Dan Henderson had the ingredients. Henderson is an olympic caliber wrestler with massive power in his fists and a clinch game that rivals that of Silva’s.

It was clear from the beginning of round one that Silva was not there to play games as Hendo stuck out his hand to touch gloves and Silva rejected the offer. Henderson dominated round one grinding on Silva with short hammer fist to the temple of Anderson Silva who couldn’t do much but control Dan’s posture from the bottom. Things were looking good for "Hollywood" Henderson that is until round two came along.

In round two Silva had a revitalized look in his eyes even gesturing at Henderson to "come on". After beginning the round with some small exchanges both fighters ended up in the clinch. After a failed attempt at a takedown ala Dan Henderson, Dan decided to grab Silva’s head and throw a knee. Silva countered with a knee of his own. Dan lands a nice right hand but it is countered by a vicious knee from Silva that sends him into deep water. Silva eventually gets Dan’s back and sinks in the hooks for what will be the end of Henderson’s chance at two belts in two organizations. "The Spider" sinks in the rear naked choke and Henderson is forced to tap out with only 8 seconds left in the round.

So who’s next for "The Spider"?

If Dan Henderson, a former Olympic Greco Roman Wrestler and Champion of two weight divisions in Pride, can’t defeat the Brazilian assassin from Curitiba, Brazil, then who the hell can? In short, nobody, or at least nobody in the UFC’s middleweight division. And as much as I would like to see him go up in weight to fight Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, like some have already suggested, it doesn’t look like a realistic possibility. In Silva’s UFC 82 post fight interview he said quote "Moving up in weight is not a problem I want to deal with, but possibly who knows, maybe move down".

Silva has pretty much wiped out the entire middleweight division, as far as anyone who has posed a threat, save one. Yushin Okami seems to be the only logical choice and the only one left who has a chance of dethroning the master striker in the middleweight division. Okami just got done knocking out Evan Tanner with a brutal knee to the chin, putting a quick stop to the comeback of "Team Tanner" at UFC 82 on Saturday. Okami definitely has the size and strength needed to counter Silva’s Muay Thai plum when in the clinch but can he avoid Silva’s dynamic punch and kick combinations and mount a legitimate offense of his own. Whatever the case, Yushin Okami seems to be the closest thing there is to a formidable opponent for Anderson "The Spider" Silva at this point in time.

In my eyes the best match up for Silva, if he moves down in weight, would be Georges St. Pierre. Both fighters are extremely strong, both fighters are explosive and dynamic with their strikes, and both fighters have a very solid ground game including their submission skills. That being said it would be an extremely tough task for the Canadian to take on. While he is a great striker, he is far from the level of Anderson Silva, who can knock people out with moves that most people have never seen before in mma, like an up elbow or a crescent kick. Silva would also have the edge over Pierre in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. While Pierre is very good at submitting people he is nowhere near the level of Silva who currently trains with Minotauro at Blackhouse.

I believe these are the two main candidates for a fight with "The Spider" but time will only tell what will happen. Until then Anderson Silva will remain the UFC’s "Undisputed King of the Middleweight Division". A pure athlete driven to success and motivated to stay on top, Anderson "The Spider" Silva in definitely one of the greatest mixed martial artist of our time and perhaps, pound for pound, the #1 fighter in the world.