Another weekend of fisticuffs has come and gone, as UFC Fight Night 84 blew the roof off O2 Arena in London, England last Saturday night (Feb. 27, 2016) on Fight Pass.
For complete coverage of the entire UFC Fight Night 84 card click here.
Plenty of fighters were left licking their wounds, including Thales Leites, who was schooled on the feet by Gegard Mousasi in their Middleweight title (recap). And Norman Parke, who was outgunned by Rustam Khabilov (recap here).
But which fighter is suffering from the worst post-fight hangover, now two days removed from the show?
Anderson Silva.
“The Spider” was making his long-awaited return to the cage after serving a year-long suspension for a failed drug test. His first obstacle in way on his road to redemption was Michael Bisping, the brash Brit who finally received the chance to tango against the former pound-for-pound great.
And it was an opportunity “The Count” took full advantage of, shocking the hometown crowd and the legions of fight fans watching online, as he pulled off the biggest victory of his career after the judges awarded him a unanimous decision.
After a cautious start from both men, Bisping picked up the pace using his ever-improving boxing skills to dictate the pace. While he couldn’t land the big shot early on, his punches weren’t wasted. Neither were his kicks, as “The Count” used an array of techniques to get his game going.
Silva, on the other hand, was his usual self, using his oft-criticized wacky hand movement to stifle his foe, who landed plenty of shots, including devastating left hook that floored “The Spider” in round two.
In the third round, however, Silva clipped his opponent in the closing seconds of the round with a flying knee. A blow Silva thought had earned him the win, until the referee told him otherwise. Though he was visibly hurt, Bisping never backed down in the championship rounds. In the end, “The Count,” earned the “W,” handing Silva his third loss in four fights, in the process.
With a victory over Silva in his back pocket, Bisping can now lobby for his first-ever shot at the 185-pound title. Though he may find it to be a tough task thanks to this.
For Silva, though, the future looks much gloomier.
Where he goes from here, is anyone’s guess, as the soon-to-be 41-year-old veteran could have plenty to think about once he lets his latest defeat sink in. He could continue fighting, but getting a big name fight next will simply be due to his name and legacy, not his latest run.
That said, if Nick Diaz can ask for big fights after losing two straight, so can Silva. He’s earned it. Plus, it’s not like he’ll be vying for the title anytime soon.
Having said that, a bout against Gegard Mousasi sounds about right. “The Dreamcatcher” has long expressed his interest in facing Silva, and seeing as how both men could be facing the same recovery time, it’s really the only bout that makes sense at the moment.
Unless you have a better idea?