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Following Saturday's game-changing win for Chris Weidman over Anderson Silva at UFC 162, we asked MMATorch readers for their reactions to the event. Here's the next batch of responses:
Tyler H. (via Facebook): First off, I think it was a huge weight off of Anderson's shoulders. I feel like the UFC has pressured into a lot of situations since the Thales Leites fight. I also think that he was showboating to such an extreme because Weidman's head was in such a great place for this fight and wouldn't be lured into Anderson's standup game. Anderson actually stifled Chris' best ground game and got to the feet. Had he actually fought there he could have won. That being sad, Weidman is an amazing fighter and his best quality is his head and he deserved to win this night. I can not wait to see either of their next fights, whether or not it be each other or Weidman vs. Vitor and a super fight with Anderson. The rest of the card was great as well. Everyone showing what they are the best at respectively in their victories.
Dominic C. (via email): I have very mixed feelings about Silva's loss. On one hand his clowning around with other fighters became irritating to watch, and it was nice that someone finally showed him that any fighter can be knocked out. Then on the other hand I feel disappointed and cheated because this was going to be Anderson's hardest challenge yet. I was really expecting Silva to come in and make a statement. This was Silva's chance to come out and let everyone know "no one else will hold the Middleweight belt until I retire." Instead Silva pretty much handed the belt over to Chris, and told all the fans that Weidman is the best and they should all love him. Still brewing about the fight I couldn't care less if I see Silva fight again; it was a pathetic way to go about business, being it was his hardest challenges yet. Besides that and The Gracie vs Kennedy fight this was a great card. I love to watch Edgar, and Swanson vs Siver was a great fight (Don't know where Siver goes from here, that cut killed his cardio, but he was entertaining as always).
Joe A. (via Facebook): I think UFC scripted this show perfectly. YES I SAID SCRIPTED. People criticize Anderson for his playful "disrespectful" showboating, overlooking that this man is in a fight with someone trained to try to hurt him. The mere fact that he just plays with them for years makes his ability admirable. BUT typical fans of the show, not the art, are tired of it. He is getting harder to sell. To have Anderson get best by someone like Weidman, while showboating will increase sales for the comeback. Now Silva acts like he doesn't want a rematch, but Dana will make it happen and claim it is "for the fans, because that's what we want!." You can say I am wrong but you shall see!
Allan M. (via email): After the years of watching Anderson I had mixed feelings towards him; at times I watched in amazement and at his skills set and killer instinct, and times I watched him and felt you are nothing more than disrespectful human being. For someone to train as hard and sacrifice so much to get a title shot to be made a fool of made me furious, if you can beat them beat them and in impressive fashion, but don't run around them, embarrassing them. It's unfair, unprofessional, and distasteful. Silva will have learned a valuable lesson tonight, a mistake he won't make again, glad it happened!
Kyle C. (via Facebook): Lesson to be learned, keep your hands up. I've been watching Anderson since his debut with Leben, and have been a fan since. Tonight, his loss was his mistake. Not to take anything away from Chris, who did absolutely great capitalizing on Anderson's mistake, but this did not prove who the better fighter was. People will remember this as the night Anderson Silva's confidence and cockiness got the best of him, not the night Chris knocked him out. If we don't get to see Anderson Silva in the Octagon again, it has been more than a pleasure having been able to watch him in the cage in my lifetime.
Justin D. (via email): Honestly this is a very good thing for the UFC middleweight division as a whole (unless Silva takes the rematch and wins). I've been disappointed in fight cards, I've been disappointed because the fighter I wanted to win lost, but tonight was overly disappointing because one of, if not the, greatest champion the sport has ever known was finally dethroned in such a way that looked like he didn't even care or didn't actually get "beat." From Silva's standpoint you've defended your belt 10 times, you're undefeated in the UFC, widely regarded as the greatest MMA fighter of all time, and the UFC gives a guy with nine fights a shot at the title? I can't blame Silva for feeling disrespected or lacking motivation for this. I can, though, blame him for carrying himself that way and not respecting his opponent, and it finally caught up to him. How he didn't know this was the wrong guy to do this against is beyond me. And don't say it's his style or he's done it before because Maia, Sonnen, and Bonnar never had a prayer to knock him out even if they landed. It's disappointing to see Silva finally lose this way but he can only blame himself, and it almost felt like he was looking for an out. And Weidman for me really wasn't impressive from a game plan or wrestling standpoint either. Also, can Silva come back from this? It's one thing to get caught and just not defend yourself well or lose by decision, but it's another thing entirely to get dropped and pounded unconscious at 38 years old. Most shocking and disappointing UFC title fight I can remember.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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