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Anderson Silva: Predictions for His Last Four Fights

Recently, Anderson Silva’s manager, Ed Soares, made comments regarding the heavily-discussed rematch between Silva and Chael Sonnen. In his words of disinterest, he shared that Anderson only had about four fights left in his career. Silva has lon…

Recently, Anderson Silva‘s manager, Ed Soares, made comments regarding the heavily-discussed rematch between Silva and Chael Sonnen. In his words of disinterest, he shared that Anderson only had about four fights left in his career.

Silva has long discussed different paths he might choose throughout his career, but none have really come to fruition just yet.

However, seeing as Silva is getting older, these next couple years could very well be his last.

The last four fights—if that is how many it turns out to be—will sure to be four people you do not want to miss due to the nature of Silva and his performances. This is a look at the last four fights that could be awaiting him before he hangs it all up.

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UFC: Is There Inconsistency in Releasing Fighters?

Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and continues to grow each day. With so many fighters that are up-and-coming, it is difficult to remain in the spotlight. The UFC has been the forefront of growth of MMA, and to many, r…

Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and continues to grow each day. With so many fighters that are up-and-coming, it is difficult to remain in the spotlight.

The UFC has been the forefront of growth of MMA, and to many, represents the majority of what people view as the sport. The UFC boasts some of the greatest talent there is in MMA, but not without its own boundaries.

With so many fighters out there, only the select few can make it, and more importantly, remain in the UFC.

This concept applies to all other sports and organizations, but the UFC is the biggest, so that is the focus. Led by President Dana White and the Fertitta brothers, the UFC has grown exponentially each year. But with much success and attention comes inevitable flaws.

The UFC is notorious for cutting fighters following a series of losses. Typically, the trend has been the “three strikes and you’re out” sort of setup. But this is not always the case.

Some fighters have been cut after one loss; some after two. On the other hand, there are fighters that can go four or five losses and not get cut. Due to limited roster space and limited resources, cuts are certain to happen, but the inconsistency is confusing at times for fans.

But what factors affect who gets cut and when?

A lot seems to do with business moves as time has gone on. One significant factor that seems to be in the mix is a fighter’s nationality. Where they come from can be argued as to why some guys have been let go and why some have stuck around.

Take Dan Hardy for example. Hardy has lost four fights in a row, two of them being by a finish. Typically, by the norm, Hardy should have been cut after his loss to Anthony Johnson, but the UFC kept him around. Dana White went to the media, who were curious if the “The Outlaw” was on the chopping block, and once again after his loss to Chris Lytle. White responded that they would keep him since he always “comes to fight.”

This is a legitimate reason to hold onto someone, in an organization built on the backs of fighters who “came to fight.” However, guys like John Howard who are finishers and come ready to give a good fight, get cut right after the third.

When this situation happens, fans tend to converse over why this happens. It makes sense when you take into consideration what else the fighter brings to the organization besides his skills and technique.

Dan Hardy is one of two huge British ambassadors for the sport; the other being Michael Bisping. England has a strong MMA fanbase and therefore provides a huge business angle for the UFC and MMA in general. Certain guys like Hardy seem to be untouchable, unless they do something in violation with conduct. Bisping is in the same boat, and if he were to lose four in a row, the UFC probably wouldn’t cut him.

Look at it this way. If Georges St. Pierre lost four in a row, would the UFC cut him?

Most likely not, since he is not only a huge star in America, but is the leading fighter to come out of Canada. Canada is known to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, fanbase of MMA in North America. Cutting him would hurt financially to them, largely due to his nationality. If it were any other fighter, four losses would be rather impossible to recover from.

Another individual in this situation is Yoshihiro Akiyama. Akiyama made his UFC debut at UFC 100 and won a controversial decision over Alan Belcher. He then went on to lose three in a row, yet he still is competing and contracted with the UFC. Given two of his losses were “fight of the night” material, it still doesn’t take away the loss in the end of the day.

Early 2012, the UFC is going to Japan and would love to carry with it one of the biggest stars to come out of Asia. Akiyama brings a crowd and would certainly have a huge fanbase at an UFC event in Asian territory. Akiyama has expressed desires to move to Welterweight, and this move helps lessen the burden of three losses. However, it may be correct to say his race is helping him stay in the UFC.

Does nationality play a part? If so, how significant?

While nationality may or may not play a significant role, there does seem to be this luminous ambiguity of what constitutes “cutting” criteria. Sometimes it seems based on how they lose, sometimes on what they have done for the sport. Sometimes it seems guys get cut solely because they lost X fights in a row. But if you look at Tito Ortiz, it contradicts some of them.

Tito has done great things for the sport, but had he been held to the standard some of these others have faced, he would have been gone a long time ago. Keith Jardine is a tough fighter who is interesting to watch, but he hit the four and then was released.

The true nature of why these guys are getting released when they are is unknown, but it is apparent there is a lack of system. This is where fans find frustration and where the organization starts to look more like a business than a sport.

So far, their decisions do not have huge impacts on the sport, but it would be nice to have some consistency of when fighters get released. In the end of the day, it is their organization, and they can do whatever they want, but it makes us all curious.

Sometimes fighters get cut for substance abuse or taking PED’s. But there is inconsistency there are well. Thiago Silva used a urine adulterant in his drug test for UFC 125, and no note of his release from the UFC has surfaced. As far as information goes, he was fined and his win overturned, but still remains contracted with the UFC.

But then, look at cases such as Nate Marquardt. Nate had failed medical requirements, and almost as soon as fans heard about this, he was released from the UFC. Once again, another case which shows that each fighter case is situational and inconsistent throughout.

Fans have different views and responses when fighters get cut, but regardless, the UFC and MMA is thriving. Many have expressed that a system would be nice to have, but we may not see that anytime soon. Until then, everyone can make up their own lists as to what they think matters in the “cutting” decisions.

What kind of system would you like to see? What are your thoughts?

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MMA Champions: How Much Does It Matter Who They Beat?

When fans analyze MMA champions, they tend to look at a few things. First, they look at how many times they have defended their title. Second they look at how they beat their opponents, and third, they look at the names of whom they fought. …

When fans analyze MMA champions, they tend to look at a few things.

First, they look at how many times they have defended their title. Second they look at how they beat their opponents, and third, they look at the names of whom they fought.

Start up a conversation with a fellow MMA fan and ask who they think is the current best champion in the sport. Most likely Anderson Silva and GSP’s names will pop up, but a plethora of others can come to mind as well. Some argue for UFC champs, others for Strikeforce or Bellator. Regardless of who the different people choose as their top one, the conversation inevitably leads to comparing the champions.

In this comparison, the aforementioned criteria are applied in the same way. Fans look to see which of their respective choices had the most defenses. They look at their fights, and if they had a lot of knockouts or submissions. Lastly, they go down the list of opponents faced on their way to being the champion of their division.

These are all great points to argue and compare, but it is the last one that raises more thought than the others.

The list of past opponents. A simple stat, but the most complex of them all.

Fans have shown that they sometimes put great value and importance to this statistic more so than others in a debate over who is the greater champion. The debate leads to one side claiming that the other’s choice of champion has not faced anyone really challenging.

This is where fans can run into trouble. Not all fans think this way, but in many debates over the Internet, in media and among peers, this debate comes up. The issue is how generalizing are we being by summing up a fighter’s opponent list and comparing it to another?

For example, Frankie Edgar has just retained his lightweight belt in the UFC and the MMA universe has erupted in comments on whom he should face next. Most believe that Gilbert Melendez, the current Strikeforce LW champion, should come over and get the title shot. The opposition to this idea argues that Melendez has not fought anyone of worth in order to be champion, and remain champion.

Similar accusations are received by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Silva is many times compared to the UFC welterweight champion, Georges St. Pierre. GSP fans argue that the Canadian has faced tougher opponents than Silva, whereas Silva fans argue they were all just as good as the welterweight contenders.

The truth is, there are different levels of competition between all fighters. However, discounting a victory over anyone is a premature action at this level in the sport.

The UFC, Strikeforce and Bellator are the top three organizations in the world. They are at the forefront of the sport and represent the best talent in the world. If you can make it into these organizations, especially the UFC, many people revere you as a successful MMA fighter. Not saying all fighters are on the same level of competition, but the bigger picture is that they are still professional fighters in a substantial organization.

In regards to the previous example, Anderson Silva critics claim he hasn’t fought anyone “good,” making a note of how many of his opponents are still in the UFC or still top contenders. This is a good point, and a bad one at the same time.

It is a good point, since if the fighters Silva has beat do stick around and cause trouble in the division after losing to Silva, they look better. However, it is a bad point since it lays a standard for what constitutes a worthy opponent. Essentially, just because a fighter is not in the UFC anymore, or loses a few fights after Silva, it does not mean that they were any less of a great challenge for Silva.

Chael Sonnen and other critics of Anderson Silva discredit his fights against Patrick Cote, Demian Maia, Thales Leites and even Chris Leben. Sonnen even goes as far as to discredit Rich Franklin.

The truth is, all the fighters deserved the title shot and worked to get there.

Patrick Cote was on a five-fight winning streak before facing Silva, having nine finishes in his 13-4 record at the time. Demian Maia was 12-1 going into his fight with Silva, and Thales Leites was 14-1 and riding a five-fight winning streak as well. Chris Leben was on a six-fight winning streak at 15-1 before facing Silva, 11 of those wins by finish.

Lastly, Rich Franklin was the champion, 22-1 at the time, riding on an eight-fight winning streak with two title defenses. Twenty of those wins were via finish.

The point of mentioning Silva’s case is that his opponents were not any less difficult and posed as much challenge as GSP’s. They were not any less difficult than any other champion’s repertoire. All of the champions have to face whomever is put in front of them, and the ones put in front of them are usually the ones that have worked to be there.

In and of itself, comparing the lists of two separate champions is a convenient way of making an argument, but fundamentally is futile. Each champion has faced whomever they had to face. Regardless of what happened to their opponents after they beat them, the challenge was the same.

Any fighter can win on any given night. It just takes one punch, one slip or mistake, one moment to change the MMA world.

Still, fans and critics will have their opinions on the importance of this particular statistic, but it is wise to try to look at the bigger picture sometimes. Where this opinion is perfectly fine for all to have, the generalization of fighters under a banner or a strict standard can degrade some great fighters.

Sometimes it is a case of a champion being so dominant, their competition looks “weak” or “bad.” Sometimes fighters do not receive the credit they deserve because they are not media-friendly or well publicized. Sometimes people are just looking for ammunition in an argument.

Regardless, the list of opponents a champion has faced and defeated is really nothing more than just that at this level of competition.

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How important do you think a champion’s list of opponents is?

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The Top 5 Challengers for Frankie Edgar

Frankie Edgar is the current UFC lightweight champion, and is coming off a great win over rival Gray Maynard. He has jettisoned himself into the pound-for-pound rankings and now has successfully defended (including the retained draw) his title three ti…

But now that he is still the champion, where does his career path lie?

This list is the top five guys for Frankie Edgar to face in the coming future. Most of the people mentioned have fights by the end of the year, and will help thin out who is worthy of the title shot, but for now, the 155 division is stacked. Now that Melvin Guillard is temporarily out the picture, here are the five that are waiting their turn.

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Does Chael Sonnen Have a Negative Impact on MMA?

Chael Sonnen is one of the greatest talkers in all of sports, let alone mixed martial rrts. His colorful commentary and his opinions have sparked a worldwide phenomenon of attention for the UFC Middleweight division. But with his words and attitu…

But with his words and attitude, are they doing more harm than good?

As such an article will ensue, readers have already formulated their thoughts and comments as to their opinions on this subject. This is purely a look into the man that Sonnen has become and to provoke thought on this presence.

First off, Sonnen, love him or hate him, he must be given his dues.

Sonnen is a fantastic fighter and has been involved with MMA for quite some time. He fought in the UFC before his days in the WEC, later returning to the Octagon again, where he currently resides.

He has proven himself in the cage and shows expertise in wrestling and grinding guys out. He holds them down, beats on them and doesn’t let them get up.

He has fought some of the toughest opponents at 185 pounds, and he gave the first real beating to the current UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva. In his most recent fight, Sonnen put on an impressive performance against Brian Stann and showed that ring rust was not existent in his game. His dominant performance over Silva during their fight showed to the world that his words could be backed up. But before that fight, his whole character seemed to change.

In his WEC days, Sonnen seemed like he got the short end of the stick. His dealings with Paulo Filho left fans cheering for Sonnen in the rematch; but they were dismayed by Filho’s actions to not make weight. This caused Filho to lose his fans and Sonnen to gain fans.

During these times, Sonnen was a monk compared to what he has become today. Once in title contention in the UFC, Sonnen started going on a tear of bashing his future opponent, Anderson Silva. He made comments regarding Silva’s camp, training partners and even his clothing. He then focused his attention on all of Brazil and the martial art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It seemed he had an opinion and trash talk for everyone, including people who had no previous dealings with him.

This, of course, is a natural progression of an upcoming fight. There is always hype to be made or not, and if they choose to do so, every fighter hypes in their own way. Some stay quiet and let the hype take care of itself, some work harder at it. The lines that have always been drawn, were starting to be crossed, though. With Sonnen’s comments regarding Silva’s camp, they were comical and perfectly normal things to attack (case in point, Jorge Rivera and Michael Bisping). It was his comments toward Brazil that seemed to make people find the Oregon native not so funny.

MMA is full of Brazilian fighters, and some of them are the best in the world. The art of BJJ, injected into MMA by the Gracie family, is a major part of most MMA fighters today. In essence, you can make an argument that BJJ created and helped grow MMA, to the point where it can give guys like Sonnen a career.

As said before, hyping a fight is normal, but is attacking whole countries and their culture too disrespectful?

Prior to his last fight, Sonnen also made comments regarding Silva’s wife. Some found it funny, but many saw it as another line crossed. Typically, bashing a fighter, their camp, their friends and their accomplishments is all fair game and very common. Bringing a fighter’s family into it is a whole different beast.

Every fan has their own views on it, but should set aside the joke for a moment, and look at what he is saying and why.

After his fight with Brian Stann at UFC 136, Joe Rogan approached him in the cage to do the traditional post-fight interview. During this time, Sonnen stated, “Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck! Super Bowl weekend, the biggest rematch in the business. I’m calling you out, but we’re upping the stakes. If I beat you, you leave the division. You beat me, I will leave the UFC forever.”

These words immediately made the MMA universe do a proverbial, “Oh no he didn’t!”

Sonnen’s challenge comes at a price, though. His words incite initial excitement, but mask the after taste of such an act. All too many people found his words to hit too close to home with pro wrestling organizations. Some felt that watching Sonnen talk with Rogan, and Ariel Helwani afterward, was like watching a Vince McMahon scripted publicity stunt.

Wrestling has given MMA some of the most exciting athletes over the years, but we must keep in mind that one organization is entertainment, the other a sport.

Herein lies the issue. With Sonnen issuing a challenge, the shock value inhibits the true repercussions of such action. Hearing “the loser leaves” is a very exciting concept, since any fight is anticipated more when there is more on the line.

Some fans thrive off of bad blood between fighters, others just love title fights. Some just want to see the skills match up, and some support their country’s fighters. Regardless, Sonnen’s challenge immediately puts everything on the table.

The issue with Sonnen’s words is that, if such challenges can be made, does this not pose an issue for the sport as a whole? If every fighter could issue those challenges and the loser would have to leave off of one fight, the UFC and MMA would not be what it is today. Most of everyone’s favorite athletes wouldn’t be around if that were the case. Making someone leave the division or the UFC can be detrimental to the organization as a business as well.

Also, fans must also recognize that either Sonnen or Silva leaving, is not what the sport is all about. Fans must keep in mind that fighting is many of these athlete’s sole career. It is their livelihood and how they support their families and themselves. By making a fighter leave, it can be like asking a worker to quit if they didn’t get a raise.

In the process, you lose the sportsmanship.

But this applies for Sonnen, too. He has stated he is fine with his finances, but leaving the UFC would cost him a great salary. Regardless of whether it’s their main career or not, or if they need the money or not, no one wants to lose any amount of their income. Just look at what’s happening with the NBA.

Lastly, fans must also be aware of some underlying differences. They can choose to acknowledge them or not but should be aware nonetheless. Sonnen’s comments are often hilarious and extremely clever, but fans should look at what is talk and hype and what is true and honest. With Sonnen, you tend to get a little bit of both, sometimes a mix. What happens for some fans is they believe what he says because he is saying it in an entertaining way. The problem can lie in that fans do not want to be on the victim side of Sonnen’s bashings, so they support what he says.

In other words, it’s wise to be careful not to take on opinions that are not your own, based solely on one guy saying them. This is similar to how WWII was instigated. Sonnen is not like Nazi Germany, but there are similarities in use of propaganda.

It is similar to voting for a politician based solely on what you hear from your parents. You do not wish to support the one they dislike, so you go along with them. This is not always the case with Sonnen or MMA fans, but it certainly happens.

Regardless of his talk, nothing should be taken away from Sonnen and his fighting ability. It is because of his actual skills as an athlete that anyone is paying any attention to him at all. His words of calling it the “biggest rematch in the business” is exactly what the rematch with Silva will be and wouldn’t be true had Sonnen not given Silva his biggest and hardest fight to date.

Is Sonnen a negative impact on MMA? Some say yes, some say no, and some say both. This question can only be answered by each individual fan and cannot be definitively stated, so it is always subjective. Everyone can agree that Silva and Sonnen are two of the top middleweights in the world, and we all anticipate their rematch for different reasons.

Do you think Chael Sonnen has a negative impact/positive impact, or both? Who do you think will win in the rematch between Silva and Sonnen? Leave your comments below!

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UFC 137: 36: Why Carlos Condit Can Beat Georges St. Pierre

Georges St. Pierre is one of the top fighters in MMA—and is certainly one of the most popular. His overall clean look, his fighting abilities and his dedication to his craft are all components that have created a machine in the Welterweight divis…

He has been the reigning champion at 170lbs for over three years. Those three years have brought upon some of the toughest fighters in the division, and in all of MMA. His last test of 2011 will be at UFC 137, against Carlos Condit.

Carlos Condit has been waiting patiently for his time to shine, and has done the work in order to deserve such a shot. He is the replacement for Nick Diaz, but many feel he was naturally the one next in line if the Strikeforce Champ hadn’t come over.

Carlos is a fighter that has the tools it takes to beat anyone on any given night. A very well-rounded fighter, he is a challenge for anyone at any point during an MMA match. He is currently 27-5 in his career, winning 12 of his last 13 fights. He is riding on a four-fight winning streak, and now has earned his shot at the title.

Condit’s striking is great enough to stand up to anyone. GSP has been working on his striking, which he made apparent in his bout with Josh Koscheck. Condit’s hands contain power, and his speed makes them a force to be reckoned with. In his last fight, Condit knocked out the previously undefeated Dong Hyun Kim, with a flying knee followed by a flurry of punches.

Not only did he defeat the undefeated Korean, he is the only man to serve an exciting knockout to Dan Hardy, who proved his chin once again in his fight with Chris Lytle.

If one thing can be said about Condit, it is that he is a finisher. With 32 total career fights, only three have ended in decision. His submission wins and his TKO/KO wins are dead even, and makes yet another great argument of why he may have one of the best chances at GSP’s belt.

It is no secret that Georges St. Pierre’s strength is his wrestling. In fact, his criticism is mainly attributed to his wrestling. GSP wants and desperately needs a finish. Condit possesses the jiu-jitsu skills to fare well against the Canadian superstar. GSP has a great submission game, but Condit’s has been more successful and more applied.

Carlos Condit is also a fighter with a lot of heart. He is no stranger to the Championship spotlight, as his days in the WEC served him well. Always ready to take on any champion, he still understands this opportunity that has been placed in front of him.

He was originally slated to face BJ Penn in hopes that a victory would possibly put him in the title-shot position. But, in a moment, he was grandly rewarded. Dana White, during the press conference where they announced the switch, said Condit “started crying and had to call me back 15 minutes later.”

Condit is fully prepared for his fight, and has the tools to dismantle GSP’s wrecking machine. He became a father last year, and is most certainly looking to support his family, and what better way to do that than bring home the UFC gold.

Stylistically, the two fighters match up very well. A fighter who can just as easily knock you out standing as submit you on the ground is a recipe for a difficult challenge for GSP. The fans and critics want a finish from this fight, and it may very well be finally delivered. It just might be from a “Natural Born Killer” instead.

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What do you think will be the deciding factors in this fight? Leave your thoughts and comments below!

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