UFC 132 is a stacked card with many potentially exciting fights, but there is one bout fans are excpecting to steal the show: Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva vs Chris “The Crippler” Leben.
Both men have a reputation for never taking a step back and throwing bombs. They are two of the most aggressive fighters in the history of MMA and, win or lose, they always put on a good show for the fans.
However, the question running through many people’s minds is: Is Chris Leben ready for a fighter like Wanderlei Silva?
Leben has been fighting in the UFC’s middleweight division for a long time, but he has never been able to elevate himself above gatekeeper status.
Wanderlei has only fought once in the UFC’s middleweight division, but is one of the most accomplished mixed martial artists ever and has fought many all-time greats.
On paper, This is a bad fight for Chris. He has knockout power, but usually needs to eat a few punches to land his own. The strategy works a lot of the time, but has gotten Leben into trouble against elite strikers.
When the Crippler faced off against elite striker Anderson Silva, he learned that their are certain opponents who’s shots you can’t afford to eat.
Wanderlei Silva is one of those opponents.
Out of Silva’s 33 career victories, 23 have come by knockout. He has big power in both his hands and can be devastating from the clinch.
So, stylistically this is a terrible fight for Leben. Luckily, there are other factors to consider.
Wanderlei is not the same fighter he used to be. He is 2-3 in the UFC since returning to the organization in 2007 and 2-5 in his last seven fights.
The Axe Murderer’s hands don’t seem to be as lethal as they used to be. He only has one knockout since entering the UFC and it was over Keith Jardine, who is known for having a suspect chin.
And speaking of chins, Wanderlei’s is not what it used to be. Silva started his career in 1997 and up until half way through 2006 had only been TKO’d twice. Since then, he has been KO’d three times.
Leben has huge power in his hands, so if he lands one good shot, he could walk away with the victory.
One big advantage Leben has is that Wanderlei has not fought in well over a year. In all likelihood, Silva is going to have major ring rust going into this bout. Leben fought three times in 2010 and once already this year, so ring rust should not be an issue for him.
One of the most important elements of fighting is fighting guys at the opportune moment and this very well could be Leben’s moment.
Wanderlei Silva is a name that still carries a lot of weight in the industry, but when you look at what he’s done lately, it becomes clear that he is way passed his prime; he’s only won two fights in the past five years.
If Leben and fights a smart fight, he can beat Wanderlei Silva and propel himself into title contention. He just needs to be careful—even an elderly lion can still maul you to death.
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