It’s time to put an end to this “Travis Browne is a future UFC heavyweight champion” talk.
Sure, he’s a talented heavyweight and will probably settle himself into a long career as a stepping stone for the division’s elite, but it’s time to put an end to the hype.
Enter Antonio Silva.
That’s right. We’re talking about the same guy who practically got eviscerated by Cain Velasquez and was turned into a punching bag by Daniel Cormier.
But looking back at those fights, is it really wise to underrate Silva for losing to two of the three best heavyweights in the entire division? Or is Browne simply being overrated for remaining (technically) undefeated in the division with the highest finish rate and biggest athletes?
Maybe it’s a little bit of both.
As skilled as Browne may be, his MMA game still needs a sizable amount of fine-tuning.
Beating up Rob Broughton for three straight rounds and somehow not finishing the fight indicates that Browne doesn’t have the accuracy or technique to stop Silva on strikes.
Getting smothered in the clinch against Cheick Kongo suggests that Browne will have significantly more trouble trying to out-muscle Silva, especially with the 20-pound weight disadvantage.
By far, the most impressive win Browne can claim is a superman punch KO against Stefan Struve, but “The Skyscraper” is far from an elite heavyweight.
Nothing in that resume suggests that “Hapa” is a world-beater. Not yet.
Looking at it critically, Browne didn’t really pass the “Cheick Kongo” test, so he’s a far cry from the top of the division, and certainly not the miracle talent that some people claim.
On Friday night, Browne’s gas tank will start to empty out. His reach disadvantage will be worsened by his terrible footwork. And if he attempts to clinch with Silva, Browne is quickly going to find himself in a grappling situation he doesn’t want—especially if he’s put on his back.
Antonio Silva has buried better fighters than Browne before. Get off the hype train while you still can.
[McKinley Noble is an MMA conspiracy theorist and FightFans Radio writer. His work has appeared in GamePro, Macworld and PC World. Talk with him on Twitter.]
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