The main event at UFC 153 went exactly as expected with Anderson Silva crushing Stephan Bonnar en route to stopping the fight in the first round. Despite the result being typical, it was rather important nonetheless.
Silva had no problem standing toe to toe with Bonnar, who is a far less talented fighter. All it took was one big knee from Silva and Bonnar dropped like a sack of bricks, only to be finished off with vicious strikes from above by the middleweight champion.
It was exactly the type of dominance we’ve come to expect from the Spider over the years.
As is the case with all fights in the UFC, no matter how lopsided they might seem on paper, there is always a chance for an upset. The sport is unique in the sense that all it takes is one lucky punch and a fighter could walk out of the Octagon victorious.
That is a true testament to how good Silva has truly been, remaining undefeated all these years and never having to succumb to a lucky strike from an opponent.
Had this fight gone the other way, it would have been damn near catastrophic for the sport.
Silva would have lost a ton of credibility losing to Bonnar and it no doubt would have negatively affected his legacy. The Spider wouldn’t have that same unbeatable aura that he carries around with him wherever he goes.
Instead, Silva would have looked human for the first time in his career and doubts about his viability moving forward would have run rampant.
The UFC would like nothing more than for Silva to continue to climb the ranks of the light heavyweight division with the ultimate goal of setting up the fight of the century between champion, Jon Jones.
Losing to Bonnar would have destroyed any and all credibility that fight has. The UFC wouldn’t be able to justify that matchup after a loss to Bonnar, making it look like the sport was forcing the issue when Silva wouldn’t have deserved it.
But alas, the potential crisis was averted and Silva and Jones are still on track to one day meet in the Octagon. This is one fight fan who can’t wait for that incredible showdown to occur.
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