Tag: Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva Will No Longer Be the King at Middleweight as of Summer 2012

Anderson Silva is the greatest champion in MMA history. He has won 14 fights in a row and defended his middleweight championship a record eight times. He has fought at light heavyweight defeating consensus top-10 fighter Forrest Griffin by way of knock…

Anderson Silva is the greatest champion in MMA history. He has won 14 fights in a row and defended his middleweight championship a record eight times. He has fought at light heavyweight defeating consensus top-10 fighter Forrest Griffin by way of knockout. 

Silva is the most dominate fighter in the game today, but it appears that his reign may be coming to an end. 

Anderson faces Yushin Okami in less than a week at UFC 134: Rio. This fight is a rematch that took place right before Silva started fighting for the UFC, and it was also the last time that Silva tasted defeat. It wasn’t a legit loss, it was by disqualification. Since then both men have changed in one way or another. Anderson is the more dangerous striker, while Okami has developed improved wrestling. 

Is Okami the man to dethrone Silva? 

He could very well be. He trains with Chael Sonnen, and has good submission defense. If he can literally replicate the game plan that Sonnen had for four rounds, and keep busy on the ground, there is a solid chance that he could become the new UFC middleweight champion. 

Realistically speaking.

In most cases, there would be a high chance for Okami to dethrone Silva, but the fight is in Brazil and the odds in this taking place are virtually slim to none. The reason Okami could dethrone Silva is because he has an annoying fight style for fighters, but there is a slim chance that many Brazilians lose in Rio, especially Anderson Silva. 

Brian Stann vs Anderson Silva seems in most eyes as a slugfest. The way Stann fights, he always tends to gas out by the second round. This could end up as a typical Anderson Silva finish, unless Stann catches him early.

This fight gives Stann a puncher’s chance, but he is still evolving as a mixed martial artist and realistically is being put in the title picture too soon. Yes, he has looked great, but he needs more time to improve. Silva would win this fight due to his technical style. 

Remember though, it’s MMA and anything can happen. 

Stann is improving in his BJJ, the bad thing for him is the fact that a bout with Silva would be five rounds. If Stann defeats Sonnen, does he stand a chance with Okami or Silva, realistically? Sure, as long as he keeps it on the feet and exchanges in a smart way instead of blowing his load too soon in the fight. Stann is a good person for the sport, but the odds in him being the guy to take over the middleweight division are virtually slim to none(at the current time). 

Then there is one…

Chael Sonnen and Anderson Silva need to fight again. The fans need to know, did Sonnen really dominate because Silva had a fractured rib, or is Sonnen really that good? This is the must see fight. If Okami defeats Silva, a rematch between Okami and Sonnen is not a truly marketable fight, but is worth watching. Who wins if Sonnen and Silva fight again?

There are many things that could truly take place in the rematch. 

Sonnen has a very good chance of taking over, and dethroning Silva. The odds in him remaining champion are pretty good as long as he can avoid fighters with elite submission skills, which has always been his big problem throughout his career. Of the three men listed, Sonnen has the best chance. But as stated above, it is MMA; anything is possible. 

These three men all have a legitimate chance to defeat Anderson Silva to become champion. Silva, in all honesty, has the toughest road ahead of him as champion, but there is a reason that he is the pound-for-pound king. He has faced his fair share of tough opponents, but the way the title picture is starting to look, it appears his run could truly come to an end. 

That does not in any way mean that any of the three men are better mixed martial artists than him, but he is now lined up with the type of fights that are his to win but easy to lose. Keep your eyes open these next few months, there may be a new sheriff in town for the UFC middleweight division.  

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Anderson Silva: The Rise of ‘The Spider’ and His 13-Win Streak in the UFC

Anderson “The Spider” Silva is on a 13-fight winning streak in the UFC: 8 coming by way of KO/TKO. 3 by way of Submission. 2 by Unanimous Decision. To date he has successfully defended his UFC middleweight title a record eight times. The on…

Anderson “The Spider” Silva is on a 13-fight winning streak in the UFC:

8 coming by way of KO/TKO.

3 by way of Submission.

2 by Unanimous Decision.

To date he has successfully defended his UFC middleweight title a record eight times. The only fighter to even come close to that record is current UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre; who has successfully defended his title six times.

“The Spider” has won eight Fight Bonuses, more than any other fighter in the UFC, save for Chris “Lights Out” Lytle, with whom he shares the record.

Silva’s UFC Fight Bonuses: Knockout of the night; Rich Franklin, Fight and Submission of the night; Dan Henderson, Fight and Knockout of the night; Forrest Griffin, Fight and Submission of the night; Chael Sonnen and Knockout of the night; Vitor Belfort.

“The Spider” is set to defend his title for a record ninth time when he throws down with Yushin “Thunder” Okami on Aug. 27 at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Okami is the same fighter who defeated Anderson Silva via disqualification.

That was more than five years ago at Rumble on the Rock 8. Yushin Okami won the fight by default; whilst Okami secured top position, Silva struck Okami with an up kick to his chin (temporarily rendering him unconscious) that was deemed to be illegal. And that was the reason for his disqualification.

For Anderson “The Spider” Silva; UFC 134 is all about Revenge, Resolution, but most of all; Redemption.

The indomitable Anderson Silva is indubitably, pound for pound the greatest mixed martial artist of his aeon.

He has dominated his contemporaries and destroyed his peers, and in doing so, has achieved both an iconic and venerated status amongst the aforementioned.

His pre-eminence is admired by the fans as well, whether they love him or despise him.

Since his debut in the UFC, no fighter yet has deciphered the enigma that is Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

Let’s take a look at his 13 hits:

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MMA: Is Now the Best Time to Be a Fan of Mixed Martial Arts?

The sport of mixed martial arts has come a long way from the days of belching commentators, fighters carrying the crucifix and “human cockfighting.” Fans who began to watch the sport within the last year or so are fortunate; now is perhaps the best tim…

The sport of mixed martial arts has come a long way from the days of belching commentators, fighters carrying the crucifix and “human cockfighting.” Fans who began to watch the sport within the last year or so are fortunate; now is perhaps the best time to be a fan of mixed martial arts.

Fans of the modern incarnation of mixed martial arts enjoy a newer, better form of the sport that has better athletes, better fights and is more popular.

While the fans of the old days certainly got to enjoy the amazing characters and “freakshow” type quality of the early events, the level of skill wasn’t extraordinary and there weren’t as many cards.

The sport eventually evolved from that low point and included athletes who cross-trained in several disciplines but were only masters of one aspect of fighting. Even with better competition and slightly more events, the sport was still on the fringes of society.

The sport underwent another change after this era with the rise of The Ultimate Fighter reality show. The UFC’s targeted demographic was enamored with the show and it helped to make the UFC a household name, not for negative reasons, but for positive ones.

As the show went on, the next generation of legends began to rise.

The sport continually evolved and grew more popular and that finally led us to the modern day. The UFC is a global company that has just signed a deal with the Fox network.

The stars have aligned for the sport of mixed martial arts, the UFC, and the fans; people who became fans within the last year or two don’t know how fortunate they were to have joined at this crucial juncture.

First, fans who have been watching recent events (and either just started watching MMA recently or have been watching all along) got to see the current generation of legends such as UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva perform at their peaks; they will remember them as the greats that they are.

Second, fans will not be forced to bear the weight of ideological baggage from the Pride vs. UFC debates of old. With only one clearly superior organization, debates such as that are over.

Third, fans have seen and will continue to see the rise of the next generation of fighters such as UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and UFC welterweight prospect Rory MacDonald.

Fourth, the fans will see the sport they love grow to unparalleled heights due to the recent deal with Fox.

Thus, if there was any time in the history of mixed martial arts to become a fan of the sport, it is unquestionably now. The sport is becoming not only a major sport, but something more…something that may shake the very foundations of the international sports world.

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 134 Preview: 5 Reasons Anderson Silva Will Destroy Yushin Okami

The legacy of Anderson Silva continues, as he looks to take out Yushin Okami in his UFC record ninth straight title defense. UFC 134 is scheduled for August 9th, and it is packed with a great fight card. The headliner of the card is Anderson Silva…

The legacy of Anderson Silva continues, as he looks to take out Yushin Okami in his UFC record ninth straight title defense. 

UFC 134 is scheduled for August 9th, and it is packed with a great fight card. The headliner of the card is Anderson Silva vs Yushin Okami. 

While there is no official name for UFC 134, Silva has revenge set on his mind. 

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UFC 134 Preview: Why You Should Feel Very Sorry for Forrest Griffin

It is a rematch four years in the making. At UFC 134, Forrest Griffin will be facing Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a rematch of their 2007 bout, which Griffin won by rear-naked choke. This time, however, the outcome will be much different. Altho…


It is a rematch four years in the making.

At UFC 134, Forrest Griffin will be facing Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in a rematch of their 2007 bout, which Griffin won by rear-naked choke.

This time, however, the outcome will be much different.

Although Rua is coming off a devastating loss to Jon “Bones” Jones back in March, expect to see quite possibly the hungriest Shogun that has ever stepped inside the octagon. In addition to being motivated to even the score of what is arguably his most embarrassing loss, Rua will be fighting in his home country for the first time since 2003.

Perhaps most important to note is the fact that Rua has not had a post-fight knee surgery since his last fight.

Historically, Rua’s surgeries have been a reoccurring problem in his career. After injuring his knee after the first Griffin fight, Shogun returned with a sluggish performance over Mark Coleman at UFC 93, a match which he won by a third-round knockout.

A few months later, however, Shogun defeated former champion Chuck Liddell with a tremendous display of striking and movement.

He went on to fight the undefeated champion Lyoto Machida with a pair a strong performances. Although Rua controversially lost the first fight, he was granted an immediate rematch and knocked out Machida in the first round.

As luck would have it, Rua required yet another knee surgery after defeating Machida, which turned into another sluggish performance against Jon Jones.

Griffin is not a slouch, though. After submitting Shogun, he went on to defeat Rampage Jackson and win the title. His record since then has been a bit spotty, however. He was knocked out consecutively by Rashad Evans and Anderson Silva, and won a controversial split decision over Tito Ortiz. His last convincing win was over Rich Franklin back in UFC 126.

If we were to compare highlights between the two fighters, one would be hard pressed to find a Griffin highlight reel that could match Rua’s. As it stands, the very best Forrest Griffin is not as good as the very best Mauricio Rua.

At UFC 134, we will see the very best Shogun. Both fighters are hungry and want the belt back, but I’m feeling more than a bit sorry for Forrest Griffin.

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5 Fights That All UFC Fans Want to See

Over the last several years, Dana White has sent the sport of Ultimate Fighting through the roof. It has come to be one of the largest growing sports on the face of the earth. While we have witnessed some of the most spectacular fights of all time, as …

Over the last several years, Dana White has sent the sport of Ultimate Fighting through the roof. It has come to be one of the largest growing sports on the face of the earth. While we have witnessed some of the most spectacular fights of all time, as fans we still want more.

While the big issue of the fighter’s weight class comes into play, there are still fights we want to see. I am speaking on behalf of UFC fans when I reveal the five potential fights that fans are dying to see.

Please sit back and enjoy.

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