As a big boxing fan, the land of MMA peaked my interest during the time strikers ruled the roost. Guys like Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko were masters of brutal knockouts via fist or foot. The explosive nature of the sport captivated the imagination and represented competition at its pure, carnal form.
However, in recent years the dominant hand-to-hand combatants have been replaced at the top of the ladder by grappling artists. Wresters and jujitsu fighters have largely taken over the sport. Instead of watching guys trading blows, ‘bows and kicks and extended, involuntary trips to Mr. Sandman, many fights have turned into Olympic-style wrestling matches. Fighters spend far too much time rolling on the ground, grappling and angling for submission position than actually duking it out.
Enter Anderson “Spider” Silva.
The Spider man’s importance to the UFC cannot be underestimated. Silva (32-4) represents true MMA greatness. His eclectic mix of vicious strikes and ever-dangerous submission attacks bridge the gap between fans who lust after gash and gore and those who prefer the more artistic style of mounts and transitions. Silva satisfies both cravings.
Over the years, the rangy Brazilian has gone 15-0 in the UFC and has frequently dominated the competition. His “Spider” moniker seems to be dead-on because when the he isn’t utilizing his supreme boxing skills to duck, dodge and slip his opponents’ striking attempts, his ability to punch and kick competitors from almost any angle make it seem as if he’s fighting with eight appendages.
Last weekend, Silva faced off against Chael Sonnen (27-12-1) in a highly anticipated rematch of a hotly contested 2010 brawl. Sonnen surprisingly dominated Silva for four and a half rounds before the pummeled-but-composed champion pulled a rabbit out of his hat via submission in the final minutes of the bout. Even though Silva’s win was a remarkable showing of championship heart, his cloak of invincibility was cracked and many fans thought his decline and demise would surely follow. It didn’t.
Still, the drama of the first bout, coupled with the Sonnen’s incessant disrespect of Silva, his family and his country, made the rematch must-see TV. Once again the challenger started the fight with a takedown and yet another dominant round over the most dominant fighter of his generation. Just when the masses began to think Silva’s undefeated reign in the UFC might actually come to an end, his spider sense turned the tide.
After making a few adjustments, Silva managed to keep Sonnen on his feet by shutting down his second-round takedown attempts. Brimming with confidence from his first-round success, Sonnen inexplicably tried to go for the gusto and threw a spinning elbow. When the champion ducked out the way, the challenger went twirling to the ground. Silva’s killer instinct kicked in, literally, as he pounced on his opponent with a flying knee to the chest, took away his will with a vicious left kick to the body and finally pummeled him with punches until the referee called it a night.
Even though Sonnen clearly riled up Silva during the pre-fight promotion, the champion showed class after his victory by inviting his fallen opponent over for a family barbeque. I’m not sure whether Sonnen accepted the invite, but he should. As they say, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
What’s next for Spider?
What’s next for Silva isn’t exactly clear. He’s essentially cleared out his division and has little left to prove. Still, there are opportunities for high profile fights with champions from other divisions. If welterweight champion and perennial pound-for-pound entrant Georges St. Pierre (22-2) wants to move up in weight for a stiffer challenge, UFC President Dana White would surely love to promote such a dream matchup. However, St. Pierre is currently sidelined with an ACL injury and coming back versus an opponent as dangerous as Silva isn’t very likely.
Silva could also wander off to greener pastures by moving up a weight-class to the face young, light-heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones (16-1). The matchup would be dynamic, consider both are world-class strikers and highly-capable grapplers. Both fighters and the UFC would stand to make a ton of money off the bout, but unlike boxing, the difference between weight classes in MMA is significant and I can’t imagine Silva looking forward to battling a much younger man 20 pounds over his prime weight.
Whatever choice the 37-year old Silva makes, it’s clear that his status as a MMA/UFC legend is cemented and his reputation as a fan-pleasing, pain-inducing, fight-ending champion will continue to draw excitement until he walks away from the octagon.
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