An end of an era.

Well who saw that coming? According to a number of sources including MMAJunkie, it appears as if long time matchmaker for the UFC, Joe Silva, will be parting ways with the biggest MMA promotion in the world by the end of the year. Once again…who the hell saw that coming?! It’s been less than two months since the UFC was sold for over four billion dollars and already we’re seeing major shake ups occur. So what exactly does this mean for the UFC and Joe Silva going forward? For one you have to wonder if new management was the reasoning behind Silva’s planned departure. Though the masses are unlikely to find out the truth for some time, it is a bit interesting that Joe Silva would be leaving the house he helped to build just shortly after the company was sold. But what everyone should keep in mind is that this could have been something that was planned for some time now. We don’t know all the inner workings at the UFC so it’s safe to say that Silva could have been intending to move on eventually. So where exactly does Silva’s departure leave the UFC? For one, they’ll have to promote Sean Shelby to Silva’s position as matchmaker for all bouts from lightweight to heavyweight. If Shelby does indeed take over Silva’s duties does that mean he’ll be doing all of the matchmaking for the UFC? Currently Sean Shelby handles the bouts south of 155 lbs and has done a stellar job for years now. In fact, Shelby was responsible for many of the great battles featured in the WEC after Zuffa purchased the now defunct promotion. Shelby is certainly a man who can get the job done, but one has to wonder if he’ll be able to handle such a workload by himself. If not, then that means the intentions are likely to bring in some new blood to help with matchmaking alongside Shelby. One thing is certain, nothing lasts forever and things are sure to get interesting in this post Zuffa UFC era. What’s your thoughts on Joe Silva’s decision? Let us know by hitting up our comments below or head on over to our official Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his Twitter and Facebook to keep up with his antics.