Dan Wetzel's column set off a fire storm of speculation when he wrote about the possibility of Anderson Silva abandoning the middleweight division for a permanent move to light heavyweight. While Silva certainly has the right and the ability to make the move it doesn't make a whole ton of sense for the UFC right now. 

Currently the UFC is without main events for UFC 105 and 106. With Georges St. Pierre out due to an injury and the heavyweight title picture still cloudy the headliners for these two bouts will most likely fall to the middleweight and lightweight champions. UFC 105 may not need a title fight as it is an English fight card and Michael Bisping is rumored to be the headliner. 

If we assume that the UFC will want to use Anderson as a headliner for a fight card later this year then it further reduces the likelyhood of move to 205lbs. 

Since Silva already defeated the #4 ranked light heavyweight it seems safe to assume that the UFC will have to give him an upper echelon fighter. Here are the top-ten UFC light heavyweights according to SBN/USA Today's Consensus Rankings (just the UFC fighters).

1. Lyoto Machida
2. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
3. Rashad Evans
4. Forrest Griffin
5. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
6. Keith Jardine
7. Luiz Cane
8. Rich Franklin
9. Thiago Silva
10. Chuck Liddell

Seven of the top-ten UFC light heavyweights are already scheduled to fight (six are fighting one another). 

- Thiago Silva vs. Keith Jardine at UFC 102 August 29th.
- Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 103 on September 19th.
- Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 104 on October 24th. 
- Rashad Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 107 on December 12th (rumored date). 

Add Chuck Liddell to the list as he is on record saying he doesn't want to fight again until 2010. It also seems prudent to take Rich Franklin out of the running as he is 0-2 against Silva already. 

Realistically the only two fighters on the list that would have enough time to fight Anderson in November would be the winner of Thiago Silva vs. Keith Jardine. Not exactly a sexy match-up for a fighter that just crushed the former light heavyweight champion. 

The dark horse candidate to fight Anderson Silva at 205lbs. in 2009 would have to be Wanderlei Silva. A fight between the two Silvas would work as a main event for UFC 106 as Wanderlei has been trash talking Anderson for a some time now. Though the UFC would lose Michael Bisping's rumored opponent for UFC 105 but he could fight the loser of Maia vs. Marquardt or a lightweight title fight could swoop in to be the main event.  

Ultimately the calender at 205lbs. is just too crowded for an immediate move up in weight. It makes far more sense for Anderson stay at 185lbs. and fight Dan Henderson at UFC 106. Besides that extra time could garner Silva with two new opponents, the winner of Maia vs. Marquardt and possibly Vitor Belfort. 

We will just have to wait a little longer to see Silva permanently at 205. 

[Update: Note by Zak Woods, 08/11/09 6:37 PM EDT ]

Ed Soares, Anderson Silva's manager, walked back from the possibility of a permanent move to 205lbs. in the immediate future.