Anderson Silva Needs To Move To The UFC Light Heavyweight Division Immediately
by Kelvin Hunt on Apr 19, 2009 7:10 PM EDT
in News
Email
PrintThere are simply no fights left for Anderson Silva in the UFC middleweight division. Sure, there are some legitimate fighters there, but he has legitimately cleaned out the division. Prior to last nights UFC 97 main event, I along with everyone else thought that someone with a legitimate ground game posed the largest threat to Anderson Silva. Wrong. Thales Leites shot in on Silva last night and took him down with a very powerful takedown in the second round while both were still pretty fresh. He had half guard for about as long as it takes a horny teenage boy to get hard while thinking about Jessica Alba naked. Then Anderson Silva stifled him and got back up to his feet. Silva has been under the suffocating lay and pray of Dan Henderson for about half a round, only to suffer no real damage.
The casual fans of the sport clearly want to see the devasting stand up skills that Anderson Silva possesses. I want to see them, and believe you me I love myself some good ground game action. But, there is no better division in which to showcase those skills than the UFC light heavyweight division. It is completely flooded with very good strikers such as:
Rampage Jackson
Rashad Evans
Forrest Griffin
Lyoto Machida
Luis Cane
At this point, I almost get the feeling that it's not even about the possibility of him losing anymore to build a fight. I think the most important thing for him and the UFC is for him to be involved in good fights throughout the rest of his UFC contract. You may ask what about fighters like Demian Maia, Yushin Okami, and others that many think deserve a shot at Anderson Silva. In my opinion, last night's fight against Thales Leites was a snapshot of how Demian Maia would do against Anderson Silva. While Maia possesses ungodly BJJ, his standup skills are probably not as good as Leites. I know Maia loves to pull guard to get the fight to the ground, but last night Silva showed that he will not fight to his opponents strengths. During his last two fights, Silva looks like he's uninterested and just sparring out there with his opponents. It's time for him to get in there with some of the big boys of the UFC light heavyweight division.
20 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
There may be some fights at 205, but as MMA Logic said on a bloodyelbow post, he would only fight the Canes and Jardines in the division rather than the Rampage Jacksons and Rashad Evans.
by The Bronzeville Bully on Apr 19, 2009 7:07 PM EDT reply actions
I know logic has the inside scoop…however, I think they are doing themselves a disservice in not letting Silva leapfrog into title contention. He could fight Shogun, or the loser of Machida/Evans….to start with…
http://www.mmaforreal.com
If Silva wants to challenge for the belt, all he has to do is let UFC brass know of his intentions and it’s a done deal. The problem is, he does not want to interfere with Machida getting belt. If he is not going to challenge for the belt, it does not make sense for him to fight markatable and marquee fighters like Rampage and Griffin. Let’s just say he fights Rampage at UFC 100. Rampage already has a title shot lined up. Silva beats him. Now, how does the the number one contender and the division look after that?
by The Bronzeville Bully on Apr 19, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions
If he moves up to take a fight against Rampage, he needs to stay there permanantly
by The Bronzeville Bully on Apr 19, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
BB…you see this? Dana is open to moving him to the LHW division…check it around the halfway mark or so…
http://www.mmaforreal.com
I think he always been open it. I think Silva himself is too. The thing once he established as at top of the division he NEEDs to challenge for the belt. I’m talking about if Machida becomes champion. Dana will give him the “Keith Jardine” treatment on this one.
by The Bronzeville Bully on Apr 19, 2009 7:32 PM EDT up reply actions
The Only Interesting and Markatable Fight at Middleweight is..
Wanderlei Silva. This has an interesting story and words have been exchanged. Silva seems like he has been wanting to crap out of him for years. The only problem is, I do not see Wanderlei beating Rich Franklin.
by The Bronzeville Bully on Apr 19, 2009 7:33 PM EDT reply actions
Just like other fighters have said about him. He’s getting too cocky. I hope Machida loses mainly because I wanna see Rashad/Rampage but also so Silva won’t have that excuse that he doesn’t want to interfere with Machida. If he stays at MW, the only fights I want to see him in are with GSP or Wandy. There will be no bullshit going on in those 2 fights, gauranteed!
Mike Goldberg: "You know Joe, When Matt and his brother Mark Hughes were growing up, they would pound each other behind the barn."
I don’t think people can really blame Anderson for last night…oh btw, sorry I’ve been M.I.A…me and wife did a spontaneous trip to Myrtle Beach on Friday
by Charles Walker on Apr 19, 2009 10:00 PM EDT reply actions
I think there has been a little too much blame put onto Silva for the 97 main event. Leites showed that he was undeserving of a title shot, simple as that. As a result he fought completely defensively and passively. Admittedly Silva didn’t really have an answer for Leites’ stalling tactics, but I have no doubt that if the match was against Maia, Marquardt or W Silva, it would have been a much more entertaining fight.
NEVER SURRENDER
have you guys heard about that movie “never surrender” that is coming out on april 28th with BJ, GSP and SILVA? It’s going to be sick!
that was Never Back Down…something tells me this one will be just as “good”.
by The Real T-Bone on Apr 21, 2009 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
