UFC 153 goes down this Saturday from the HSBC Arena in fabulous Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Most people are rightly fixated on the main event, a rather odd pairing of middleweight champ Anderson Silva and Stephan Bonnar, fighting at light heavyweight. …
UFC 153 goes down this Saturday from the HSBC Arena in fabulous Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Most people are rightly fixated on the main event, a rather odd pairing of middleweight champ Anderson Silva and Stephan Bonnar, fighting at light heavyweight.
But the oddities of the event don’t begin with the final fight. In the co-main event, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira squares off with Dave “Pee Wee” Herman, or, as I like to call him, one of the oddest dudes in MMA today.
So it got me to thinking: there’s probably some news to be reported here. Some slideshow type of news. Namely, who are the oddest fighters in the sport today? Let’s get to the bottom of this.
Ground rules: active and reasonably semi-active fighters only. Inside the cage and outside the cage activities both factor in.
It seems like every single event the UFC has booked this year, the injury bug has been lurking around the corner ready to try and destroy it. UFC 153 was no different, and after two separate featherweight title fights were forced off the card due to in…
It seems like every single event the UFC has booked this year, the injury bug has been lurking around the corner ready to try and destroy it.
UFC 153 was no different, and after two separate featherweight title fights were forced off the card due to injury, the UFC called in the greatest fighter in MMA history to save the day.
Anderson Silva agreed to step in on short notice and fight at light heavyweight for the third time in his UFC career, and his opponent Stephan Bonnar immediately became the biggest underdog in UFC history.
Despite a mismatch in the main event, fans have slowly warmed up to a UFC 153 card that is loaded with talent from top to bottom, and the UFC’s third trip to Brazil in 2012 is set to be one of the most fun fight cards out the year.
Anderson Silva has nothing to gain and everything to lose at UFC 153.But can we really complain about him saving an entire fight card?For a short while, UFC 153 was on the verge of suffering the same fate as the ravaged UFC 147 card and even might have…
But can we really complain about him saving an entire fight card?
For a short while, UFC 153 was on the verge of suffering the same fate as the ravaged UFC 147 card and even might have ended up like the infamous UFC 151 event “killed” by Jon Jones and Greg Jackson.
Originally, the main event featured a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Erik Koch, a showcase fight for one of Brazil’s favorite sons—then the dreaded domino effect happened.
Koch went down to injury just a little over a month away from fight week and Frankie Edgar stepped in as a last-minute—and much better—replacement.
Aldo went down with a foot injury not even two weeks afterward.
To make matters worse, Quinton Jackson pulled out of his fight with Glover Teixeira due to a rather convenient elbow injury and VitorBelfort left the card to face Jon Jones at UFC 152.
Just weeks away from canceling UFC 151, Dana White and Zuffa were looking at another nightmare situation. How badly would their stock have fallen with another canceled card?
Enter Anderson Silva and Stephan Bonnar.
In one of the most unlikely announcements in MMA this year, “The Spider” accepted a fight with “The American Psycho”—saving the Rio deJaneiro card and earning a lot of brownie points with his employers (most likely to the tune of a massive paycheck).
But did Silva make the right decision? Is any of this in his best interests?
Fighting an opponent like Bonnar has few upsides. As the greatest MMA fighter in history, Silva’s stock and ranking in the sport won’t rise with a victory over Bonnar.
Even though his title isn’t on the line, a loss here will also undo everything his legacy stands for. It would be an even worse career blow than FedorEmelianenko suffered after losing to Fabricio Werdum in the first round of the Strikeforce Grand Prix.
Plus, Bonnar‘s not such an easy opponent.
At 6’4″ with an 80-inch reach, Bonnar is both the tallest and rangiest fighter that Silva has ever faced. He’s arguably the toughest as well, having never been stopped by strikes, knockout or submission.
It’s also a three-round main event. That works tremendously in Bonnar‘s favor, as he doesn’t even have to beat Silva to win. He just needs to steal two rounds on the judge’s scorecards and snag a split decision.
In short, Bonnar is the perfect fighter in just the right circumstance for an upset.
But regardless of all that, Anderson Silva made the right call.
Dana White will crow about UFC 153 being saved by “old-school” fighters, but the reality is that salvaging this card endears both men to their fans and sponsors and to the sport at large, even if Silva loses a controversial decision—or actually gets finished on some ridiculous stoppage.
Don’t forget, Brazil is arguably the hottest property for the UFC and Silva is one of the country’s biggest stars.
He’ll be paid handsomely for the fight, he’s getting the most beatable “big-name” opponent in the light heavyweight division and the narrative of “anyone, anytime, any weight” lives on, adding to Silva’s legendary reputation.
Until he beats ChaelSonnen, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones will continue to be defined for ducking that fight, letting down fans of the sport and being a selfish diva.
Silva is no Florence Nightingale himself—and arguably a bigger diva than Jones—but this time he deserves his credit.
UFC 153 will either be another chapter in the history of the world’s greatest fighter or one of the biggest upsets in combat sports. Anderson Silva made a stupid, risky, cocky choice—but it was still the right decision to make.
[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.]
Ever since UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva was booked to face Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight bout, fans and analysts have been critical of the pairing. Despite being a massive mismatch on paper, don’t expect Silva to take “The Amer…
Ever since UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva was booked to face Stephan Bonnar in a light heavyweight bout, fans and analysts have been critical of the pairing.
Despite being a massive mismatch on paper, don’t expect Silva to take “The American Psycho” lightly on Saturday evening. In an interview with the UFC, the Brazilian states:
You have to respect Stephan Bonnar. He is the reason why MMA and the UFC are where they are today. He has done a lot for the sport. He has to be respected and given a lot of credit.
While “The Spider” greatly respects the runner-up of the original Ultimate Fighter, he had other motivations for taking on the opportunity to fight in Brazil for the second time this year.
It was a request from Dana White to come in and save UFC 153. It was an opportunity to give back to all the Brazilian fans for what they did to support me in my last fight … I believe I have more agility, more speed at this weight. I don’t know about the power, but I do believe I am more agile. Due to the short amount of time to train, it is easier to make 205 rather than to try to cut down to 185.
UFC 153, which takes place at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena, was originally supposed to be headlined by a featherweight title clash between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar.
Unfortunately, “Scarface” pulled out of the event last month due to a foot injury he suffered during training.
Also worth noting is that Silva was willing to fight at light heavyweight for the now infamously cancelled UFC 151 card, but the UFC had already canned the event by the time Silva had contacted White.
Silva enters Saturday night with a a perfect 15-0 record under the UFC banner, while Bonnar comes in on the strength of three victories in a row.
Does Bonnar stand any chance of pulling off an upset here, or is he simply going to be another knockout victim added to Silva’s highlight reel?
Anderson Silva has accomplished more than any other fighter in UFC history. By accepting a light heavyweight bout against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153, which was previously headlined by a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar, Silv…
Anderson Silva has accomplished more than any other fighter in UFC history. By accepting a light heavyweight bout against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153, which was previously headlined by a featherweight title fight between Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar, Silva has added “event savior” to his long list of descriptions.
With Aldo and co-headliner Quinton Jackson being forced off of the fight card due to injuries, the UFC needed one of its biggest stars to step up in order to avoid cancelling a second event in as many months.
Though it has been pegged as one of the biggest mismatches in MMA history by oddsmakers, the bout between Silva and Bonnar helped the UFC avoid serious embarrassment. Additionally, Silva training partner Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira took a fight with Dave Herman on short notice to give UFC 153 a stronger co-main event.
With the event set to take place this Saturday at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, let’s take a look at the rest of the fight card and the competitors who should walk away from UFC 153 with a win.
Now that Browne and Bigfoot have met in the Octagon on UFC on FX, the UFC now prepares for one of its most intriguing headliners in the company’s history. One might argue it is a mismatch of grand proportion, but the fighters and the UFC brass see this…
Now that Browne and Bigfoot have met in the Octagon on UFC on FX, the UFC now prepares for one of its most intriguing headliners in the company’s history. One might argue it is a mismatch of grand proportion, but the fighters and the UFC brass see this as an opportunity for something great to happen.
When fight fans heard that UFC 153 would now be headlined by Anderson Silva vs. Stephan Bonnar, a collective eyebrow was raised. While the circumstances were that both men were the ones to step up first and agree to fight, it still was confusing that these two men would be pitted against the other.
Following Silva’s most recent triumph over his greatest rival, ChaelSonnen, many felt that Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping, Rashad Evans or others would be the next name to grace the blue corner across from the greatest fighter of all time. However, due to timing, Silva was able to take a short-notice fight at light heavyweight, closer to where his natural walking-around weight is.
As the UFC promotional commercial indicates, this fight can end in one of two ways. The first being yet another, and arguably very expected, incredible knockout, or, second, the biggest upset in UFC history. Both very valid statements given the circumstances and history of both.
Both men are very well known in the MMA world, and for different reasons. Silva is the greatest fighter, and Bonnar put on what some consider the greatest fight of all time. Oddsmakers, fans, fighters and maybe even Bonnar himself would put money on Anderson Silva emerging as the victor off of sheer stats; but in this sport, anyone can win on any given night.
So what happens if Silva wins? Nothing much, because it was expected of him, with the variables of how he wins.
But what happens if Bonnar wins?
First off, there is no belt on the line for Silva, so his legacy as the Middleweight champion is still preserved. However, his record of being undefeated in the Octagon will come to an abrupt halt. While his record and history completely outweighs any one loss he might take now, it is the conceptual perception of the MMA world that this would hurt his legacy.
Many feel that this is a cakewalk for Silva, and losing to a guy who spoke of retiring soon is not a good loss to take, especially when you are considered the greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time. The fact that the fight is taking place a weight class up helps ease the blow of a loss, but at the same time, Silva has gone up to light heavyweight twice before, scoring two first-round knockouts.
Bonnar though, has never been finished in the Octagon. He has never been KO’d, nor has he ever been submitted. His durability against a man who has built his name upon KO’s and submissions will be truly tested. It is the relentless warrior inside of Bonnar that will be his biggest advantage in this fight. If he can weather the storm, who knows what could happen?
A decision win over Silva would be the softest way for Silva to take a hit from a loss, and it probably is the best chance for Bonnar as well to emerge victorious. Regardless, Silva is at a point in his career where fans are looking for reasons to hate him. Some hate him because of his consistent success, because of his actions, because of the Sonnen campaign or other reasons. Silva taking any sort of loss gives fuel to the fire.
It helps fuel arguments that fans have over who is the best pound-for-pound fighter, for example. FedorEmelianenko, Georges St. Pierre, Jon Jones and some others have all had great arguments in their favor for the P4P title, and a loss to Bonnar would not help Silva’s case in this regard.
But ultimately, a win for Bonnar would be groundbreaking. Bonnar is a fighter that has been around for a while, and he truly devotes himself to the sport and his fans. He faced Forrest Griffin in what has become known as the most significant and greatest fight in UFC history. Since that showdown, Stephan has been trying to make his way to the top for a belt, or just to be considered in the upper echelon of fighters.
The one thing that could top his fight with Griffin would be a win over Anderson Silva. If he can accomplish this, he can retire on the complete opposite spectrum of how Chuck Liddell retired. It’s hard to weigh which the media would jump on more: Silva’s loss, or Bonnar‘s victory? History has shown news favors the negative, so Silva would most likely be placed under the microscope, or at least until his next fight at middleweight. Silva would have to make a physical statement in his following fight to counter a loss to Bonnar.
Until Silva and Bonnar meet inside the cage at UFC 153, we can all speculate, analyze and pray that there are no more injuries or arrests that will affect this card!
