It was clear that Brenneman prepared for Silva’s first-round knockout. He worked hard for the takedown and was able to get around Silva’s attack (and absorb some as well). But Silva fought the impressive fight people were waiting for, and his first-round victory by submission showed his versatility in style and adherence to a tradition of quick wins.
What we’ll remember about this fight:
Brenneman’s effort and Silva’s ability to work past it.
Silva has performed exceptionally well in his short UFC career with strong knockout capability, so it was nice to watch him fight against someone who would shoot solidly and frequently. Therefore, Silva’s handling of this with a submission of his own illustrated his future.
What we learned about Erick Silva:
Silva is as versatile as he needs to be to move on in the welterweight division. He’s got good strength, obvious power, and the smart submission skills that he showed early in his career that won him seven of his 12 pre-UFC victories.
Simply put, Silva is ready to move on up.
What we learned about Charlie Brenneman:
Brenneman’s victory over Rick Story that brought him up in the division is slowly being forgotten, and he is now 2-2 since that win. But at 15-4-0 overall, Brenneman is still an experienced fighter with some good wins under his belt.
We learned, however, that his strategy in the UFC so far isn’t paying off highly. He often goes into defense on the ground until it becomes lay-and-pray for the collegiate wrestler. It appears that if he wants to continue his career, he’ll have to make some immediate changes to his style.
What’s next for Silva:
Silva’s ready for a big name in the welterweight division, and Thiago Alves is currently not scheduled.
What’s next for Brenneman:
Brenneman will have to fight any other ranked welterweight coming off of a loss to help mark the winner in the division.
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