UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is moving up to light heavyweight for his upcoming fight with Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 because he has looked in his last couple fights like he was bored at middleweight: He's so much better than the rest of the middleweight division that he doesn't need to be particularly aggressive to beat his opponents.
But while some MMA fans booed Silva's lack of aggression against Thales Leites at UFC 97, Silva dismisses those boos.
"If people are booing, it's from a lack of understanding the sport, because I went out there and executed a good game plan," Silva said Tuesday on a call to promote UFC 101. "I went into the Thales Leites fight to do my job and defend my title. I can't control what my opponent does."
Silva makes a fair point when he says that his ultimate responsibility is to win fights, and he did win against Leites. And not everyone disliked Silva's technique against Leites; famed MMA trainer Greg Jackson said afterward that he thought it was fascinating to watch Silva dish out punishment using a series of leg kicks while not taking any punishment himself.But I still think Silva is risking alienating UFC fans with the way he's suggesting that the fans who boo are ignorant. I like Silva and I like his fighting style, but I think he could stand to show a little more appreciation for the fans.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-28-2009 @ 3:46PM
mike said...
MMA fans are just like the fans of other sports: We like to see action. Football fans prefer higher-scoring games, baseball fans prefer home runs, and MMA fans prefer fights with a high volume of punches and kicks. Silva has approached his last two fights by taking a defensive posture. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not the way to become a fan favorite.
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7-28-2009 @ 3:50PM
longturn said...
i sure hope forrest griffin beats him!!
I love mma and forrest is one of my favorite fighters. I am just a mom who loves the mma!!!
GO FORREST
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7-28-2009 @ 4:53PM
karateguy0001 said...
I liked Silvas fight not every fight is going to end in a knockout and to be able to hit and not get hit takes skill. Fighters have to use different strategies on their opponents. Some fights are going to be technical and fans need to get educated about the sport and appreciate the difference getting in and out and picking your shots as opposed to not really wanting to fight your opponent
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7-28-2009 @ 8:39PM
johnnynumber5 said...
The thing is that Silva could have beaten Leites at any point but he chose to not be aggressive. It was similar to the fight against Cote in which he was more interested in toying with Cote and doing those wang chung hand moves than finishing off an easy opponent. It's obvious Silva needs a challenge or his mind starts to wander and he gets bored while fighting. If nothing else happens we know for sure that Griffin will push the pace against Silva and make the fight interesting.
I don't think that people who thought the last fight were boring are uneducated. I'm educated on the sport, been watching for nearly 10 years and practice martial arts myself and I thought that last fight was extremely underwhelming and boring. It was one of the worst main events in the history of the UFC. The only fight I can remember that was more boring was rounds 2 & 3 when Arlovski fought Werdum around UFC 70 or there abouts.
7-28-2009 @ 5:08PM
DRAGON said...
I agree. The sport is one of those that the highlight reels are going to be extensive, but not guaranteed. Some fights, especially title fights, can go very academic for fear of loss of the title. No matter what, it puts the responsibility on the challengers to step up the fight, or control the fight. We all know this isn't an easy task in ANY sport, let alone boxing and MMA. No matter what, Anderson Silva, pound for pound, is one of the greatest mixed martial artists out there. He is already a fan favorite and a fan dislike. He already is a 'face' in the world of MMA. Who won't watch a fight with his name either in front or behind the 'vs'?
As far as his fight with Forrest, I'm pulling for Forrest. I'll admit that I'm still a novice in MMA fighter trivia, but from what I've observed through various websites and videos, Silva has never really BATTLED anyone. His fights are good - great, but he has never had to really battle anyone. Plus, I don't feel he has any punching power. We all know Forrest can take a punch, but I don't feel Silva will be able to deliver enough of them to do any real damage. His feet and his grapple game is what he will have to rely on. If Forrest doesn't win by KO/TKO, it will be by decision. Can't wait until the 8th!!!!
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7-28-2009 @ 5:51PM
bobbondoo7 said...
well what I have to say is for the "fans" who booed Anderson Silva. What fight were you watching?
This is a for sure Hall of Famer and they only like him when he knocks someone out? These "fans" know little to nothing about fighting and strategy and Anderson is a master of both. Maybe they should jump in the octagon and go a couple rounds with him.
I don't hear boos now!!!
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7-28-2009 @ 7:45PM
kckbxrk said...
If you want to see technical genius...watch Anderson Silva. If you want to boo, then i agree you don't understand the whole picture. Silva is the best and he displays it in numerous ways every time he fights. And as far as the write of this article goes? i beg to differ. He has to show no more appreciation for the fans than he already does. It is US who want to watch HIM, US who pay to see HIM. The ones who should show the appreciation are the fans, because they are the ones sitting on their asses paying to watch somebody who has spent months of training and wracking their brain and nerves to fight for their amusement...
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7-28-2009 @ 9:35PM
claytor said...
What were watching sadly, is a guy fighting people twenty pounds lighter than he normally walks around at, hes usually taller than every one of his opponents, with the length to match.
In other words, stop fighting under your true weight class, and fight like a champion in the one you belong. Forrest is a good first step, Irvin was an incredible joke fight, i hope no one ever took that fight seriously.
Itll be interesting to see if Silva can plod along against someone his equal, instead of another undersized, over matched opponent for the so called p4p great.
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7-29-2009 @ 2:45AM
russell said...
The reason the silva was careful with leites was that if leites would have been able to take it to the ground he would have had a very, very, VERY good chance defeat silva. Leites is one of the -if not THE best- BJJ practicioners in the world. Silva had to keep the fight at a safe distance due to leites' excellet take-down/submission game. I think leites is the 2nd best middleweight figher in the UFC.
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7-29-2009 @ 4:27AM
Shane said...
Anderson Silva is arguably the best striker in the game and one of the best at breaking people down mentally.
He makes you not wanna strike with him and even if you take him down hes dangerous, from strikes and submissions.
His submission defense is also top notch and his grappling matches it.
So before you call Cote or Leites bitches for their lack-luster performances I challenge you to step in the ring.
Until you know that feeling when you have failed every aspect of your game and you stand in front of a superior opponent then you have no place to talk.
I am a fighter and I can tell you first hand that fear is a major component of fighting and often the fight is lost mentally before the fight actually ends.
Also for whoever said he has not been proven by a worthy opponent obviously you have not followed all of his fights.
It may seem he has not been proven but he is actually that technicly superior over his recent opponents to the extent of making them seem not worthy of fighting him.
He is not bigger than most of the fighters he faces because nearly all professional fighters cut weight similar to Anderson.
You people are probably the same people criticizing Lyoto Machida for his similar evasive tactics, which is ignorance on your part cause their is other factors that come into play such as career longevity and injuries.
Also You people who were referring to Anderson's style as defensive you obviously don't understand the concept of Counter-Striking.
Forest Griffin is a great fighter with excellent heart and a punchers chance, but even that is highly unlikely because of Silva's evasive style.
In the end I believe Silva will outclass him but I still do expect it to be a somewhat close fight.
As for any of the Anderson Silva Haters you guys are obviously not martial artists, cause what he does can only be described as art.
Next time before you post a comment, read a book or look up information online so that you dont sound so uneducated.
If you disagree please reply I would love to discuss it further.
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7-29-2009 @ 12:20PM
richardbikle said...
Shane, silva avoided the ground game. mma fans expect a fighter to follow their opponent where the fight takes them - silva didnt. the fight with leites was much more of a muay thai fight than mma; mma being what the fans came to see. can you blame silva for doing what he needed to to win, no. do you have to say it was a great mma fight, no.
silva didnt make the transitions of a great mma fighter, and his performance was disappointing.
personally i think maia has a better shot than leites as far as subbing silva.
7-29-2009 @ 4:18PM
claytor said...
Agreed. Simply because youre a fighter as you claim to be, doesnt make anyone here unknowledgable.
Pfft, i took boxing lessons for years from a former Middleweight fighter, im not on boxing blogs downplaying anyone else.
Now that ive addressed that, ill move on to what i feel is Silva cutting weight to fight smaller opponents. Do you honestly believe Thalis has the reach to match Anderson? Most of the Middleweight division is about four inches shorter, and with an avg 5-7 inch reach disadvantage fighting the Spider. I hate to tell you this, but reach is EVERYTHING. Its why taller boxers normally have better records. Its why taller fighters can land what they please, just ask Diego Sanchez fighting guys with a half a foot disadvantage, to Penn fighting midgets with stump arms like Sherk and Joe Daddy. Its how Brock Lesnar is the freaking champion right now.
Silva is clearly not fighting in the weight class that he belongs, and this has been my complaint for a long time. We keep hearing pound for pound this, pound for pound that, and Fedor gets that vote because well, his weight class? has the largest range of any of them. Im sorry but 10-20 pounds isnt 60+.
Anderson couldve finished either of these fighters, the Thalis fight reminded me of that embarrassing Belfort/Sakuraba debacle, and Cote was simply sad. I dont have to agree that they were good fights, nor that i dont understand the fight game simply because i DO understand when someone mails it in, and given Silvas talent and his apparent need to stay matched up against smaller fighters on the regular, he does have the ability to exploit it. He showed up for the check, its not that hard to say, really.
Well see if he finds his testicles long enough to fight in the appropiate weight class for a title bid(crying about fighting his bf Machida), or if he tries to slide along clinging to dead greatest p4per glory until he departs the UFC.