Legendary former longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva will return to action in the co-main event of this weekend’s (Sat., Feb. 11, 2017) UFC 208 from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he’s set to take on No. 8-ranked Derek Brunson.
Silva’s historic reign as 185-pound champion lasted nearly seven years from 2006-2013 and consisted of a record setting 10 consecutive title defenses. He also started his Octagon career with an incredible run of 16 straight victories. His accomplishments will forever speak for themselves, but “The Spider” has recently fallen on rough times, as he hasn’t officially won a bout since 2012. He’s also lost four of his last five fights.
With the 41-year-old looking to get back to his winning ways, there is no better time to reflect on his iconic career and on the wins that led many to label him as the best fighter of all-time.
Let’s take a look at Silva’s five best UFC knockouts:
Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin – UFC 64
In just his second UFC fight, Silva was given a shot at the middleweight title, taking on Rich “Ace” Franklin at UFC 64 on Oct. 24, 2006.
Franklin is known as a durable and skilled veteran, but he proved to be no match for Silva on that fall night in Las Vegas, Nevada. “The Spider’s” brutal Muay Thai was on full display in this fight, as he stunned “Ace” with a vicious knee just minutes into the opening round. He then followed that with a left head kick and another knee before Franklin fell to the mat and left the referee with no choice but to call off the fight.
Not only does this finish rank as one of Silva’s best inside the Octagon, but it was also this finish that marked the beginning of the best title run in promotional history.
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