Tag: cub swanson

Cub Swanson: Focused on Title Following Beautiful Destruction of Dennis Siver

Beautiful destruction is what Cub Swanson wanted to display at UFC 162 against Dennis Siver, and that’s exactly what he delivered.
The 29-year-old Palm Springs native battled toe-to-toe with the German-born striker throughout the first two rounds befor…

Beautiful destruction is what Cub Swanson wanted to display at UFC 162 against Dennis Siver, and that’s exactly what he delivered.

The 29-year-old Palm Springs native battled toe-to-toe with the German-born striker throughout the first two rounds before his power punches melted Siver in the final frame. The victory was “Killer Cub’s” fifth consecutive and now has him banging on the door of a title opportunity.

The only catch in the equation is that the Jackson’s MMA-trained fighter is now standing in a crowded line that includes fellow contenders Ricardo Lamas and Chad Mendes, who are also seeking an opportunity to compete for championship gold.

While Swanson has lost to both men in past years, the current version of the SoCal representative whom the MMA world has seen over the past 18 months is not the same fighter who fell to Lamas and Mendes on previous occasions.

Swanson has been a wrecking machine since his loss to “The Bully” at UFC on Fox 1 in November 2011 and is on a mission to become the featherweight champion.

“Any of those top fights would make me excited,” Swanson told Bleacher Report. “That’s what I want. I want the big fights, not only to get the title shot but to secure my future and whatever I pursue after fighting. It is very important I live up to my own expectations as far as popularity and knowing that I left my mark on the sport. Whatever big fights I can get, I’m up for the challenge.

“I think it’s very safe to say I’m a different fighter,” he added about his evolution since previous bouts with Mendes and Lamas. “I would say I’m the same fighter I was when I fought Lamas but that was the first test as the ‘new me.’ I made a small mistake and I got caught. I was dominating him in that fight. I would say I’m the same fighter, but I learned from that, and I’m never going to make that mistake again.” 

While Swanson has always been one of the most dynamic strikers in the featherweight division, his current five-win run has shown a continued evolution in his approach. The surging contender has always had a unique blend of speed, power and unpredictability in his arsenal, but his love for the scrap had at times caused him to become reckless.

The latest version of Swanson showed tremendous growth in the patience department as he methodically picked apart Siver at UFC 162. The Californian had Siver hurt on several occasions but resisted the urge to flurry. Instead, he chose to dole out damage shot by shot, which resulted in Swanson crumpling the 34-year-old striker midway through the final round.

While Swanson acknowledged the impact of his improved patience and was satisfied with the victory, he also saw areas where he can improve his skill set.

“There are still parts of my game I need to fix,” Swanson said. “I think I have a lot of room for improvement. I am really just sharpening up everything. But every fight is different and sometimes it just takes a little bit to find your rhythm and your range and neutralize what they are trying to do to you. All in all, I’m happy, but there is still work to be done. 

“I knew I won the second round and I was confident I was going to go out and finish the third round in good fashion because I was in such good shape. I didn’t know I was going to get the knockout, but I knew I was going to throw everything I had to get it. 

“Patience is definitely a big part of it,” Swanson offered about his approach. “Especially in this fight because Siver was slowing down and the holes in his game were getting bigger. I knew being patient and waiting until later in the round were going to be key for me.”

With a wake of destruction in his path, confidence on full tilt and a steadily increasing profile with the MMA fanbase, there is no telling where the ceiling rests for Swanson. He’s had his foot mashed on the gas pedal for the past year-and-a-half, and there are no signs of him slowing down anytime soon.

Whether his next fight is a championship opportunity or a title eliminator is fine by him. Swanson simply wants to keep the process of progress alive and promises he’ll always give fans what they paid to see.

“I either want a title shot or a guaranteed No. 1 contender fight,” Swanson added in regard to his next outing. “I feel like I deserve it. I feel like the fans are backing up on this and it will come.

“From here on out, as long as I’m doing this sport, I’m going to come in incredible shape, try to take people’s heads off, put on a show for the crowd and never be in a boring fight.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

 

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Cub Swanson: Focused on Title Following Beautiful Destruction of Dennis Siver

Beautiful destruction is what Cub Swanson wanted to display at UFC 162 against Dennis Siver, and that’s exactly what he delivered.
The 29-year-old Palm Springs native battled toe-to-toe with the German-born striker throughout the first two rounds befor…

Beautiful destruction is what Cub Swanson wanted to display at UFC 162 against Dennis Siver, and that’s exactly what he delivered.

The 29-year-old Palm Springs native battled toe-to-toe with the German-born striker throughout the first two rounds before his power punches melted Siver in the final frame. The victory was “Killer Cub’s” fifth consecutive and now has him banging on the door of a title opportunity.

The only catch in the equation is that the Jackson’s MMA-trained fighter is now standing in a crowded line that includes fellow contenders Ricardo Lamas and Chad Mendes, who are also seeking an opportunity to compete for championship gold.

While Swanson has lost to both men in past years, the current version of the SoCal representative whom the MMA world has seen over the past 18 months is not the same fighter who fell to Lamas and Mendes on previous occasions.

Swanson has been a wrecking machine since his loss to “The Bully” at UFC on Fox 1 in November 2011 and is on a mission to become the featherweight champion.

“Any of those top fights would make me excited,” Swanson told Bleacher Report. “That’s what I want. I want the big fights, not only to get the title shot but to secure my future and whatever I pursue after fighting. It is very important I live up to my own expectations as far as popularity and knowing that I left my mark on the sport. Whatever big fights I can get, I’m up for the challenge.

“I think it’s very safe to say I’m a different fighter,” he added about his evolution since previous bouts with Mendes and Lamas. “I would say I’m the same fighter I was when I fought Lamas but that was the first test as the ‘new me.’ I made a small mistake and I got caught. I was dominating him in that fight. I would say I’m the same fighter, but I learned from that, and I’m never going to make that mistake again.” 

While Swanson has always been one of the most dynamic strikers in the featherweight division, his current five-win run has shown a continued evolution in his approach. The surging contender has always had a unique blend of speed, power and unpredictability in his arsenal, but his love for the scrap had at times caused him to become reckless.

The latest version of Swanson showed tremendous growth in the patience department as he methodically picked apart Siver at UFC 162. The Californian had Siver hurt on several occasions but resisted the urge to flurry. Instead, he chose to dole out damage shot by shot, which resulted in Swanson crumpling the 34-year-old striker midway through the final round.

While Swanson acknowledged the impact of his improved patience and was satisfied with the victory, he also saw areas where he can improve his skill set.

“There are still parts of my game I need to fix,” Swanson said. “I think I have a lot of room for improvement. I am really just sharpening up everything. But every fight is different and sometimes it just takes a little bit to find your rhythm and your range and neutralize what they are trying to do to you. All in all, I’m happy, but there is still work to be done. 

“I knew I won the second round and I was confident I was going to go out and finish the third round in good fashion because I was in such good shape. I didn’t know I was going to get the knockout, but I knew I was going to throw everything I had to get it. 

“Patience is definitely a big part of it,” Swanson offered about his approach. “Especially in this fight because Siver was slowing down and the holes in his game were getting bigger. I knew being patient and waiting until later in the round were going to be key for me.”

With a wake of destruction in his path, confidence on full tilt and a steadily increasing profile with the MMA fanbase, there is no telling where the ceiling rests for Swanson. He’s had his foot mashed on the gas pedal for the past year-and-a-half, and there are no signs of him slowing down anytime soon.

Whether his next fight is a championship opportunity or a title eliminator is fine by him. Swanson simply wants to keep the process of progress alive and promises he’ll always give fans what they paid to see.

“I either want a title shot or a guaranteed No. 1 contender fight,” Swanson added in regard to his next outing. “I feel like I deserve it. I feel like the fans are backing up on this and it will come.

“From here on out, as long as I’m doing this sport, I’m going to come in incredible shape, try to take people’s heads off, put on a show for the crowd and never be in a boring fight.”

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

 

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Cub Swanson Wants Aldo/Zombie Winner, and He Deserves It

It was June 7, 2009. The event was WEC 41, and the main event featured featherweight champion Mike Brown defending his title against former champion Urijah Faber. Brown was successful that night, dispatching Faber by decision, but it was the co-ma…

It was June 7, 2009. 

The event was WEC 41, and the main event featured featherweight champion Mike Brown defending his title against former champion Urijah Faber. Brown was successful that night, dispatching Faber by decision, but it was the co-main event that produced the most memorable moment of the night.

It was a fight of much importance, at least in hindsight. Jose Aldo met Cub Swanson to determine the next challenger for Brown’s title. Aldo had lost just once, five years earlier in Brazil. Swanson had scored a win over Hiroyuki Takaya in his return to the WEC after a brief sojourn on the independent circuit.

You know the rest of the story. You’ve seen the highlight hundreds of times. Aldo ran out and drilled Swanson with a double flying knee, earning the knockout in just 8 seconds.

For many, this was the night that the Aldo legend was born. He would go on to defeat Brown for the WEC featherweight title. That title would eventually be moved over to the UFC, and Aldo lords over the division to this day. 

Swanson wouldn’t have the same immediate impact. He alternated wins with losses over the next two years, with his final loss coming to Ricardo Lamas in his UFC debut.

But since that loss, Swanson is undefeated. He’s run up a winning streak that stands at five, with four of those wins coming by knockout. He’s defeated four ranked fighters. More importantly, he’s shown drastic improvement in his overall game as a martial artist while establishing himself as an exciting fighter with a knack for finishing fights. 

Last Saturday at UFC 162, Swanson earned the biggest win of his career by finishing stocky German featherweight Dennis Siver in the third round of a thrilling battle that earned Fight of the Night honors alongside the Frankie Edgar/Charles Oliveira bout.

Against Siver, Swanson displayed all aspects of his game. He used effective grappling. He stayed active when planted on the mat by Siver and he struck with pinpoint accuracy in the final round to finish the fight and establish himself, finally, as a featherweight title contender. 

After all this time, Aldo is still at the top of the division. Usually, when a fighter loses to an opponent in just 8 seconds, there isn’t much of a need for a rematch. Once you’ve been dominated, it’s hard to sell the fans on the idea that you might have a chance in a rematch.

But Swanson’s case is different, and not just because he’s earned his title shot with 5 straight wins; he’s also a much different fighter than the guy who lost to Aldo in 2009. He’s honed his game and become a deadly threat at featherweight.

I don’t have to tell you that the UFC’s lower weight classes are thin when it comes to potential superstars. There’s Aldo, of course, and now there’s Anthony Pettis and Frankie Edgar. But when it comes to intriguing Aldo opponents that can be sold to fans, that’s about it. Swanson fits the bill. His run has come in front of a large audience, and he’s delivered exciting fights and brutal finishes.

In short, Swanson has drastically elevated his standing in the UFC. And while I wouldn’t pick him to beat Aldo—he’d be a significant underdog going into the bout, and rightly so—that doesn’t mean he should be overlooked when it comes time to figure out who will face the winner of the UFC 163 bout between Aldo and Chan Sung Jung.

Swanson wants the fight. As he told MMAjunkie Radio when asked what he’d like next:

A title fight, and also Ricardo Lamas,” Swanson on Monday told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) about what he would like to do next. “I think I deserve another chance at (Lamas).”

If the UFC elects to give Anthony Pettis his chance at the title, then a bout between Lamas and Swanson would be interesting. Lamas handed Swanson his last loss before beginning his winning streak, and it’d be interesting to see if Swanson has improved enough to avenge that defeat. And if Lamas and Swanson do face off, there would be no doubt that the winner is the absolute top contender for the belt.

Too many contenders rising to the top of a division is a nice problem to have. And while Lamas and his four-fight winning streak (which includes Swanson, by the way) are deserving of a chance at the gold, I can’t help but think that Swanson has done enough to earn a championship bout. He’s certainly done more than Jung, who essentially got the title shot because he’s popular with the fans and Pettis was injured.

But whichever way the UFC elects to go after Aldo and Jung finish their business, you can be sure of one thing: Swanson will continue to fight, and there’s a very good chance that he’ll continue to win.

And if he does, there’s zero doubt in my mind that he’ll get his chance to stand across the cage from Aldo, with thoughts of erasing the memories of that 8-second knockout dancing around in his head. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

CagePotato Superlatives: UFC 162 Edition


(“I said, I DON’T DANCE!” / Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com)

By Alex Giardini

We know — these things are just popularity contests. But as we look ahead following this weekend’s mind-blowing UFC 162 card, we decided to take a yearbook approach and predict which fighters will go on to even greater success, and which ones will be pumping our gas someday.

Most likely to make well over $24,000 to show in his next fight: Chris Weidman

Perhaps this is jab towards the fighter pay issues that have risen as of late but Chris Weidman established himself as a future star, no matter how differently the fight would have been had Anderson Silva taken it seriously. Yes, Weidman officially made just $48,000, but by dethroning Anderson Silva, he earned a lot more than just money — Weidman became world famous overnight ending up on sites like TMZ and every major newspaper in the country, and he was the man responsible for one of the most historic moments in UFC history. Weidman’s ability to have a similar legacy in the middleweight division is now in question, especially when you consider that an immediate rematch with Silva is still the most likely scenario. Say what you will about Weidman and the fact that eighteen fighters were not enough to convince you otherwise — he knocked out Anderson Silva. That’s all you need to know.

Least predictable future: Anderson Silva

Rematch…retirement….Roy Jones….Stephan Bonnar II…who knows what the future really has in store for the former middleweight kingpin? And with the reiteration that his participation in superfights is off, it becomes more bleak. It really all depends on how Silva would like to go out: On his shield, or dancing the night away worse than J-Lo. Without discrediting Weidman, it was not what we expected or wanted from the supposed best fighter who has ever lived. When some unknown jackass gets KO’d while taunting his opponent, we applaud and move on with our lives, but let’s face it, the best fighters in the world usually don’t put themselves in such vulnerable positions. However it’s impossible to say that it was not a deserving loss for Silva and we’ve never seen him do that before; you live by the gun, you die by the gun.


(“I said, I DON’T DANCE!” / Photo by Esther Lin for MMAFighting.com)

By Alex Giardini

We know — these things are just popularity contests. But as we look ahead following this weekend’s mind-blowing UFC 162 card, we decided to take a yearbook approach and predict which fighters will go on to even greater success, and which ones will be pumping our gas someday.

Most likely to make well over $24,000 to show in his next fight: Chris Weidman

Perhaps this is jab towards the fighter pay issues that have risen as of late but Chris Weidman established himself as a future star, no matter how differently the fight would have been had Anderson Silva taken it seriously. Yes, Weidman officially made just $48,000, but by dethroning Anderson Silva, he earned a lot more than just money — Weidman became world famous overnight ending up on sites like TMZ and every major newspaper in the country, and he was the man responsible for one of the most historic moments in UFC history. Weidman’s ability to have a similar legacy in the middleweight division is now in question, especially when you consider that an immediate rematch with Silva is still the most likely scenario. Say what you will about Weidman and the fact that eighteen fighters were not enough to convince you otherwise — he knocked out Anderson Silva. That’s all you need to know.

Least predictable future: Anderson Silva

Rematch…retirement….Roy Jones….Stephan Bonnar II…who knows what the future really has in store for the former middleweight kingpin? And with the reiteration that his participation in superfights is off, it becomes more bleak. It really all depends on how Silva would like to go out: On his shield, or dancing the night away worse than J-Lo. Without discrediting Weidman, it was not what we expected or wanted from the supposed best fighter who has ever lived. When some unknown jackass gets KO’d while taunting his opponent, we applaud and move on with our lives, but let’s face it, the best fighters in the world usually don’t put themselves in such vulnerable positions. However it’s impossible to say that it was not a deserving loss for Silva and we’ve never seen him do that before; you live by the gun, you die by the gun.

Most likely to be allowed to date your sister: Frankie Edgar

Not only does he have the best entrance music this side of Big Nog, there is never a dull moment when the real Jersey Shore darling fights and quite frankly (no pun intended… or pun intended, thank you) we all wish we could fight our battles like he does. This was the first time in eight fights that Edgar did not compete for the title, and he still won Fight of the Night honors. Edgar will never be in a boring fight considering his fighting style and his ability to match his opponent’s pace; his cardio suggests he could have probably won fights against light-heavyweights in PRIDE with their opening ten minute round. Frankie becomes bloodied more frequently than Dustin Rhodes in the early ’90s no matter how lopsided or even his fights are. With the marketability of a prime Stallone and the heart of a prime Jake Lamotta, Edgar could skip the waiting line and get another crack at the featherweight title — and some of us wouldn’t have a problem with it.

Least likely to get another co-main event slot (even if he deserves one): Charles Oliveira

When this fight was announced, to say Oliveira was not being fed to the wolves was like saying you knew this guy wasn’t dead all along. Oliveira did more than just keep up with Edgar the whole fight — he had him in a bit of a knot at the end of the first round and tagged the former champion more than once with some solid shots. At the tender age of 23, it’s unclear what Oliveira’s future has in store, and if he is the budding prospect he is advertised to be (even if we get the feeling that everyone in the UFC is a “prospect” until they turn 32) or if he will be lost in the shuffle. Edgar’s star power to the habitual fan helped this fight get a co-main event slot but this was not the mismatch many, including this scribbler, thought it was going to be. Oliveira stand-up has improved drastically and we all know his submission game is gross in a good way. He should definitely be included in headlining plans again, even if it seems far away for now.

Least likely to be acknowledged while continuing to do his job efficiently: Mike Pierce

Mike Pierce isn’t going to be the annoying Spring Break emcee you would love to drown any time soon, but he doesn’t really get credited for even being at the festivities. The tough-as-nails wrestler has only lost three since 2009 (Fitch, Hendricks and Koscheck – all fellow wrestlers, all highly regarded) and that last one was debatable. Pierce’s four-fight win streak includes two stoppages by strikes, but Pierce can’t find a way out of the prelims. What is even odder is that Pierce opened the show on Facebook underneath a guy he beat in his last fight: Seth Baczynski. Maybe the brass thinks he isn’t exciting enough but with all due respect, we could name about fifty fighters we’d rather never see again and instead, watch a vintage Spike TV: Mike Pierce marathon. Come on, it’s main card time.

Most likely to be signed by Bellator, then lose in the opening round of their next heavyweight tournament: Dave Herman

We figured that coming out in a pink scarf at a press conference would have immediately cemented Dave Herman’s demise in Zuffa, but somehow, “Pee Wee” was able to survive two years of consistent failure during his UFC stint. After winning his first fight against Jon Olav-Einemo in June 2011, Herman failed a pre-fight drug test for marijuana, got his ass kicked by Stefan Struve, got his ass kicked by Roy Nelson, got his ass kicked by Big Nog, then failed a post-fight drug test for marijuana. Herman getting another fight at UFC 162 was an undeserved gift — not that he did much with it. Following his 17-second smashing at the hands of Gabriel Gonzaga, it’s safe to say the number two, three, four or whatever-they-call-themselves promotion in the world could easily secure the services of Herman, if they want to roll the dice on an underperforming pothead. And don’t act like Bellator is above that sort of thing, either. (See: Q. Jackson, W. Machine).

Most likely to *actually* “get some fans” after being advised to by Greg Jackson: Cub Swanson

Finally, there is a fighter in Greg Jackson’s stable we can finally relate to. Swanson’s revival in the featherweight division could be the most impressive career-comeback currently happening in all seven divisions. He’s on a five-fight win streak with wins over Dustin Poirier, Ross Pearson and George Roop, and his lone Octagon loss was nearly two years ago at the hands of Ricardo Lamas (another future title-threat at 145 pounds). Although he may have to do a little extra to get a rematch with Aldo for fan-convincing purposes, Swanson’s exciting striking game and pure fighting spirit is something slobs like us dream of when we’re on our 34th chicken wing.

UFC 162 Results: Post-Fight Stock Report

Say it with me: Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva at UFC 162.I understand that the shock and awe is still with you, but perhaps it’s best to accept the reality of the situation: Weidman ousted the former middleweight king in a manner easily desc…

Say it with me: Chris Weidman knocked out Anderson Silva at UFC 162.

I understand that the shock and awe is still with you, but perhaps it’s best to accept the reality of the situation: Weidman ousted the former middleweight king in a manner easily described as brutal. The outcome was stunning for staunch Silva supporters and vindicating for those who had always regarded Weidman as the heir apparent to the middleweight throne.

Though the main event caused the biggest stir, it certainly wasn’t the only bout to send shock waves throughout mixed martial arts world. Divisions rose in prominence as clearly as the crumbling dreams of possible superfights.

Here’s a breakdown of how stock rose and fell in the UFC 162 aftermath.

Begin Slideshow

UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman Aftermath — Human After All


(Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

By George Shunick

Surreal. That’s a pretty apt description of most Anderson Silva fights, for better or worse. Dodging Forrest Griffin’s strikes like he was in the Matrix, standing on the cage against Stephan Bonnar, front-kicking Vitor Belfort in the face? Surreal. Dancing around Thales Leites and shouting “where’s your jiu-jitsu now, playboy?” at Demian Maia? Surreal.

But those pale in comparison to what happened last night. What happened last night, when Silva lost for the first time in seventeen fights because he pushed the envelope too far, was the definition of surreal. For the sake of trying to comprehend what happened, let’s recapitulate for a moment. The first round saw Chris Weidman, the new middleweight kingpin of the UFC, take Silva down. Faced with the area in which he was most vulnerable, Silva deftly rolled with what ground and pound Weidman offered and defended any submission attempts before getting back to his feet. The rest of the round was spent taunting Weidman and stuffing any attempts at taking the fight to the ground. At the end of the round, Silva inexplicably hugged Weidman before returning to his corner.

When the second round began, Silva was in complete control, mocking Weidman’s attempts to hurt him. It was a performance unlike any other. But Silva strayed too far to the edge; caught with his chin up in the middle of a Weidman combination, he was felled by a left hook. His eyes rolled back; he was out before he hit the ground, where Weidman followed with a salvo of ground and pound that was merely a formality. Somehow, Silva had lost his title even more than Weidman had won it.


(Photo courtesy of Getty Images.)

By George Shunick

Surreal. That’s a pretty apt description of most Anderson Silva fights, for better or worse. Dodging Forrest Griffin’s strikes like he was in the Matrix, standing on the cage against Stephan Bonnar, front-kicking Vitor Belfort in the face? Surreal. Dancing around Thales Leites and shouting “where’s your jiu-jitsu now, playboy?” at Demian Maia? Surreal.

But those pale in comparison to what happened last night. What happened last night, when Silva lost for the first time in seventeen fights because he pushed the envelope too far, was the definition of surreal. For the sake of trying to comprehend what happened, let’s recapitulate for a moment. The first round saw Chris Weidman, the new middleweight kingpin of the UFC, take Silva down. Faced with the area in which he was most vulnerable, Silva deftly rolled with what ground and pound Weidman offered and defended any submission attempts before getting back to his feet. The rest of the round was spent taunting Weidman and stuffing any attempts at taking the fight to the ground. At the end of the round, Silva inexplicably hugged Weidman before returning to his corner.

When the second round began, Silva was in complete control, mocking Weidman’s attempts to hurt him. It was a performance unlike any other. But Silva strayed too far to the edge; caught with his chin up in the middle of a Weidman combination, he was felled by a left hook. His eyes rolled back; he was out before he hit the ground, where Weidman followed with a salvo of ground and pound that was merely a formality. Somehow, Silva had lost his title even more than Weidman had won it.

Looking at it like that, as a sequence of events, it seems like what happened last night can be condensed into something that resembles a traditional narrative. Anderson Silva was clowning when he shouldn’t have been and paid the price. He shouldn’t have done it in the first place, and that’s why he lost. I’m not so sure it’s that simple. What made Silva great wasn’t just his win streak, it was how he won. How he transcended the bounds of what we thought was possible in combat sports, how his greatest challenge wasn’t the person standing across from him but the shadows of the performances he had to live up to and surpass. Like Icarus, he flew a little too high, strove to be something that no one could be. It turns out that Anderson Silva is not some deity of violence descended from the heavens, that he is prone to the same physical limits and temptations of hubris and grandeur that plague us lesser mortals. But that willingness to push those boundaries, to tempt fate and escape its consequences again and again, is what made Anderson Silva the best fighter in the history of the sport.

As for Weidman, the man has earned his time in the sun. His home was destroyed in Hurricane Sandy, he endured shoulder surgery and went an entire year without fighting. He deserves the money, the $50,000 Knockout of the Night bonus, the fame and the accolades that come with dethroning a legend. Regardless of how much Silva’s approach to the fight impacted the result, Weidman capitalized on an opportunity that no else managed to. There’s something to be said for that. With that said, if there will be an immediate rematch, I wouldn’t favor him. But then again, I was wrong about him last night.

Oh, there were some other fights too. Frankie Edgar and Charles Oliviera put together an entertaining, technical scrap tht shared Fight of the Night honors with Swanson vs. Siver. While there were momentum shifts, Edgar won all three rounds and finally got back on the right side of the win-loss column. Tim Kennedy managed to control Roger Gracie in an uneventful decision win and Mark Muñoz made a triumphant return to the Octagon in thrashing Tim Boetsch over three rounds. And to begin the night, Cub Swanson came back from a first round deficit to knock out Dennis Siver in the third in a contender for fight of the year.

But the story of the night was Silva. It always is when he fights, when he clowns, when he wins. But that’s not how last night unfolded. Anderson Silva was dethroned. It’s funny; when pressed to ask who he wished to fight, Silva would often respond “my clone.” Silva didn’t fight his clone last night, but he still managed to beat himself. I suppose that’s inexorable when you compete against your past accomplishments; sooner or later, you can’t go any higher. Last night, Anderson Silva flew too close to the sun and we were still shocked that he fell. With Silva, the rules seemed like they never applied. When they finally did, that was more surreal than anything else.