Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva
MMA Record : 19-4
UFC Record : 4-0
Title : UFC middleweight title

Anderson Silva has been in the UFC for just over a year now. His first UFC fight was against Chris Leben. Leben is known for his heavy hands and good chin...until he met Anderson Silva. Silva took just 49 seconds to finish off Leben in spectacular fashion, announcing to the UFC faithful "I have arrived".

Silva's 7 career didn't start with the UFC, he's fought to a 19-4 record in the process facing some of the all time greats. He's faced Carlos Newton and won. He also won over Lee Murray, if you don't remember who Lee Murray is, he was the guy who claimed he beat up Tito Ortiz outside of a bar...there was a lot of noise about a possible matchup between Murray and Ortiz, but it never materialized.

Anderson Silva also holds victories over Jeremy Horn, one of the best known submission guys in MMA.

I'm sure most know Anderson Silva by his UFC career though, which includes wins over Chris Leben, Rich Franklin (for the middleweight title), Travis Lutter and Nathan Marquardt. Silva still holds the UFC middleweight title belt and is expected to defend the belt later this year against Franklin.

We always look toward and exciting fight when Anderson Silva steps into the ring, he has outstanding stand up skills. He uses the clinch well (as shown against Rich Franklin) and his punches are pin point accurate. But there is something more to his stand up...something hard to put your finger on. It's his comfort level, his willingness to take risks and by the looks of it, his natural ability. We've all seen boxers with knockout power, fighters with fast hands or fighters who hit hard. Fighters who can hit from all angles and throw with confidence naturally are harder to come by. Chuck Liddell is one fighter like that, Anderson Silva is another.

One thing that gives Anderson Silva the ability to take chances that other strikers don't, chances like flying knees, is his ability on the ground. Travis Lutter and Nate Marquardt are both excellent ground fighters, but in the end neither of them mounted an effective attack, in fact Lutter ended up getting submitted by Silva.

Eventually, the changes that Silva takes will catch up to him and he'll loose a fight because of it. However, I would expect that he will come back in a rematch and win...possibly even using the same technique, he's that good. We can expect to see Anderson Silva in the Octagon for a long time, at the top or near the top of the 185 pound division.

Next Fight: Rich Franklin