Anderson Silva thinks that Chris Weidman should consider his “victory” at UFC 168 a stroke of luck, not skill.
As reported by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, Silva told Brazilian media outlet Globo:
I believe that, if you pay attention to these technical details, you will see that (checking the kick) was instinct, not something that he trained to do. No, I don’t think (Weidman should consider it a win). It was an accident. And I’m pretty sure I would have won the fight.
With all due respect to Mr. Silva, this line of thinking is insane, and there is plenty of contrary evidence to refute his claim.
For starters, Weidman floored Silva with a huge right hand in Round 1, and the American was dominating the fight before the freak injury occured inside the Octagon. Based on how the action unfolded to that point, there is no reason—beyond the typical “I can do it” champion’s mentality—for Silva to think he was on his way to winning that bout.
Secondly, since winning the fight at UFC 168, Weidman and his head trainer, Ray Longo, have talked extensively about how they drilled the exact kick check that shattered Silva’s leg leading up to the rematch.
Weidman said it was intentional. His trainer broke down the technique in great depth, via Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting, showcasing the fact that he studied the move and understands its complexities. Together, they knew exactly how they planned to counter Silva’s leg kicks in the match.
On top of that, Weidman perfectly executed the “destruction” inside the cage. A GIF is worth a million words—or, in this case, screams—right?
While Silva may not have come to terms with the manner in which he lost in his rematch with Weidman, he’s already looking to the future and planning his comeback to MMA’s biggest stage.
He said:
(You should stop fighting) when you feel you need to stop, when your body and head says that. I think I still have a lot of things to do. I don’t plan to stop now. I’m getting stronger every day, and I will be back soon.
For now, Silva needs to heal his injury, focus on his family and friends and rest his mind.
The time off could prove beneficial for the 38-year-old former champion, but dwelling on the past will not facilitate his recovery.
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