How much violence is too much violence?
Within the bounds of combat sports, how heartbreaking would it be to have to watch a legend of the sport—arguably the greatest mixed martial artist of all time—ripped apart and shredded before your eyes?
If the UFC books Anderson “The Spider” Silva for a trilogy fight with middleweight champion Chris Weidman, these questions will be put to the test and answered in short order.
Weidman would demolish Silva—again—if they meet inside the UFC Octagon a third time.
It wouldn’t even be close. This fight is wholly unnecessary, and if you want to see it at this point, you need to go see a therapist. Also, avoid playgrounds, animal shelters and anywhere else where innocence is harbored and celebrated, you sicko.
Don’t let the chills fool you. Watching Silva make his walk to the cage at UFC 183 was surreal and incredible, but the moment outweighed the fighter as he stood on that day.
A living legend returned to his kingdom after suffering a brutal, potentially career-ending injury 13 months earlier. And he wasn’t just walking into battle to meet an overmatched scrub; he was fighting Nick Diaz, a phenomenal and interesting fighter in his own right.
Silva was bigger. He was stronger. He was faster. His resume crushed his opponent’s.
Despite his advantages, he didn’t take care of Diaz the way many predicted. Diaz, as noted fight analyst Jack Slack pointed out, was tailor-made for death via Spider.
“And while I never make predictions, the stylistic match up is a horrible one for Diaz,” Slack wrote in a pre-fight piece for Fightland.
Diaz fought his fight. He did some Diaz stuff, taunting, boxing and eating blows. He acted like the kind of fighter Silva should have put away in under three rounds, the kind of fighter he has destroyed many times in the past.
The Spider, however, grows old.
A little zing was lost. His magic was less sensational, his aura slightly diminished. The luster faded, and Diaz noticed. The Stockton bad boy showed no fear and no respect for Silva’s skills, realizing the man in front of him was not the one to put him away. He was not the Spider of past days.
Silva still won, fair and square. He out-landed Diaz in every round and avoided any serious punishment himself.
Nothing about his performance screamed title contender, though. He looked good, not great.
And Christopher J. Weidman is great.
Weidman already knows what it’s like to defeat Silva, twice sealing the deal against the Spider in under 15 minutes of total cage time.
While he’s currently battling injuries, it’s doubtful Weidman is getting any worse. Despite solidifying himself as the best 185-pound fighter on the planet, Weidman is still young to the sport. He’s 12-0, and he’s only been competing professionally since 2009.
Silva had defended his middleweight strap four times when Weidman made his pro debut.
There was a time when Silva probably would have destroyed Weidman, but that time is long gone. Or maybe Weidman was Silva’s kryptonite all along with his powerful wrestling base, sledgehammer fists and no-fear mentality. Either way, if there was a time when Silva would have disposed of Weidman, it’s not now, and it’s certainly not in the future.
Their paths only continue to grow farther apart with each outing, Silva looking more mortal and Weidman looking less so with each trip into the Octagon.
So while there’s been talk of Silva vs. Weidman III, it’s time to shut down that topic for good.
This wouldn’t be a competitive fight, and with each passing day, it becomes more of a blowout. It’d border on the criminal. Even for Weidman and his own legacy, a win over Silva would mean little to nothing at this point.
That’s no way to send a legend on his way.
So if you’re into ultraviolence and the macabre, by all means, campaign for a trilogy between these two.
But if you have any shred of respect and compassion, put down the shoe and leave the Spider alone. He doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com