UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, a man considered by most to the best fighter in the world, pound for pound, returns to the Octagon on April 18th to defend his crown against Brazilian countryman Thales Leites in the main event of UFC 97. If he wins, he will add to his record setting string of title defenses and continue to build on to his legacy as one of the game’s top 185-pound fighters. How did he get here? Read on for his seven defining moments.
Carlos Newton – March 16, 2003 – PRIDE 25 Result – Silva KO1 Newton, a former UFC welterweight champion just eight months removed from a rematch loss to Matt Hughes was returning to PRIDE for the first time in over a year, and with a four fight Japanese winning streak under his belt, his bout with the virtually unknown (at least to casual fans) Silva was a big deal. Well, if fans didn’t know who Silva was before the bell rang, they certainly knew who he was by the time his flying knee crashed into Newton’s head and sent him crashing to the canvas. Frighteningly, with the respectful and quiet nature of the Japanese crowd, Silva’s knee slamming into Newton was audible to all in attendance and those watching on TV. Bottom line, the man doing the Michael Jackson impression after the fight was one scary fighter. As for Newton, he may have never been the same, going 2-6 following the bout.
Tony Fryklund – April 22, 2006 – Cage Rage 16 Result – Silva KO1 After the win over Newton, Silva would go 5-3 over his next eight fights, losing by submission to Daiju Takase and Ryo Chonan and by disqualification to Yushin Okami, while putting together wins over UFC vets Jeremy Horn, Lee Murray, Jorge Rivera, and Curtis Stout. The next UFC vet on his plate was Miletich Fighting Systems’ Tony Fryklund, and though the result shows up as a KO1 for Silva, it was the way he did it that was simply amazing. Throwing a back elbow out of nowhere, Fryklund collapsed to the canvas and was so concussed that his immediate attempts to get back up were for naught. It was a spectacular show of Silva’s striking prowess, versatility and creativity.
“That’s what makes a difference,” said Silva when asked what makes him try moves most fighters wouldn’t dare to. “I don’t think I’m better than anyone, I just like to prove to myself that things I imagine can be done. Expect the unexpected.”
Chris Leben – June 28, 2006 – UFC Fight Night Result – Silva KO1 The UFC signed Silva in the time after the Fryklund fight, and while the diehards knew who “The Spider” was, to the casual fan, The Ultimate Fighter season one’s Chris Leben – then on a five fight winning streak – was truly the one moving in on a shot at middleweight boss Rich Franklin. But as soon as the bell rang, it was clear that this was a new kind of striker, one who easily avoided Leben’s crude attacks and fired back with blistering combos that left ‘The Crippler’ defenseless. The end came at the 49 second mark of the first round, and Franklin had himself a new prospective contender.
Rich Franklin I – October 14, 2006 – UFC 64 Result – Silva KO1 With only one UFC win under his belt, Silva was granted a shot at Franklin, who had over a year at the top and title defenses over Nate Quarry and David Loiseau under his belt. And though Silva had walked through Leben to earn his title fight, many saw the bout as a pick ‘em. Again, that was until the bell rang, and Silva caught Franklin in a plumb clinch that the champion was unable to break loose from. While in the clinch, Franklin ate knee after knee, with the telling blow shattering his nose. At 2:59 of the first round, there was a new sheriff in town, and his name was Anderson Silva.
“That fight was a huge turning point in my career,” said Silva. “It fulfilled a lifetime dream of mine and has changed my life in many ways.”
Rich Franklin II – October 20, 2007 – UFC 77 Result – Silva TKO2 Silva didn’t sit on the title after beating Franklin, submitting Travis Lutter and stopping Nate Marquardt. But it was the rematch with the man he beat for the crown that got the fight world buzzing. To add to the intrigue, the return bout was held in Franklin’s hometown of Cincinnati, but despite the home Octagon advantage, the result was the same. Sure, Franklin made it to round two, but Silva was just ferocious, ripping off combination after combination that left “Ace” bewildered by the assault. Now mind you, Rich Franklin is one of the best middleweights of this era. To do to him what Silva did is nothing short of incredible.
Dan Henderson – March 1, 2008 – UFC 82 Result – Silva Wsub2 After running through all his previous UFC opponents, the whispers started – was anyone going to even challenge Anderson Silva, let alone beat him? Dan Henderson, the only man to hold PRIDE titles in two weight classes simultaneously, felt that he was the man to do it, and after the first five minutes of their UFC 82 bout, he was certainly on his way, as he tagged Silva with his right hand and kept the champion from mounting any significant offense. But Silva, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, kept his characteristic cool, and after jarring Henderson with strikes in the second round, the bout went to the mat and he finished ‘Hendo’ off with a rear naked choke. Pound for pound the best in the world? Absolutely.
James Irvin – July 19, 2008 – UFC Fight Night Result – Silva KO1 Sure, James Irvin isn’t on the level of a Franklin or Henderson when it comes to his resume, but the concussive punching ‘Sandman’ was expected to test Silva’s chin in ‘The Spider’s light heavyweight debut in the UFC. Plus, no one knew if Silva would carry his own power 20 pounds north to the 205-pound weight class. Well, he did bring that power with him, making an Irvin chin check a moot point as he drilled and finished his foe off in just 61 seconds.
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