Rashad Evans: I want to pick a fight with the Middleweight champion

After handily defeating Chael Sonnen at UFC 148, the question has benn posed: Who will realistically pose a challenge to Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva?

UFC President Dana White has gone on record multiple times saying that Anderson “Spider” Silva is the greatest fighter or the greatest martial artist in the world. Last night’s post fight press conference was no exception as White summed it up with: “He is an amazing fighter, he’s an artist with his hands and feet. The guy is a freak of nature. He does things to people that other people can’t do, he is turning 38 and not showing any signs of slowing down. He never has problems cutting weight and he has absolutely and completely dominated the Middleweight Division.”

White went on to say that Silva has fought at 205 as a light heavyweight in the past, but that the Brazilian fighter is completely comfortable at his weight of 185 lbs. When a reporter speculated that Jon Jones might make for a potential opponent in a Superfight between the two champions and asked Silva if there was an interest in that fight, the Middleweight Champion simply responded: “No.”

This morning former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans threw his hat into the ring, or in this case the Octagon by tweeting directly to Zuffa CEO and Co-owner of the UFC, Lorenzo Fertitta:

@lorenzofertitta i want 2 pick a fight with the middle weight champion! Lol Make it happen!! Please!!

— Rashad Evans (@SugaRashadEvans) July 8, 2012

Although Silva has no interest in moving up in weight class at this time, there is nothing outside of diet and conditioning that would prevent Evans from dropping down to 185 lbs. Evans may not have a height or reach advantage over Silva, but the former Ligh Heavyweight champ does have a Class A standup game which scored him an earthshattering knock out victory over Chuck Liddel at UFC 88 and key KO/TKO victories over Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz.

No slouch in the grappling realm, Evans out-wrestled national wrestling champion Phil Davis at UFC on Fox 2 last year. Sugar Rashad Evans may be the man to offer a realistic challenge to the Spider.

So what do you think Lowkickers? Is Evans the one fighter that might succeed where so many others have failed in dethroning Silva? If not Evans and no one else from the Middleweight division, is there another contender who can move up or down? Will it make for an interesting matchup, but no real challenge to Silva? Let us hear your thoughts.