Hyden's Take
HYDEN BLOG: The Problem With Anderson Silva
Apr 14, 2010 - 9:08:07 AM HYDEN BLOG: The Problem With Anderson Silva

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By: Frank Hyden, MMATorch Contributor

I've been a huge fan of Anderson Silva for years. I still remember his destruction of Chris Leben as easily as if it had happened yesterday. I've defended him relentlessly to my friends, or anyone who would listen, and I still firmly believe that he's the best fighter in the world today. I believe that Anderson Silva would beat Brock Lesnar, I think Silva would beat Fedor Emelianenko and I also think that Silva would beat Georges St. Pierre.

I know there's someone out there who would hand Silva his ass on a platter, but I don't think it's any of those three men I just mentioned. I'm sure Brock has a good chin, but he's never been attacked with the combination of precision and power that Silva has. Fedor capitalizes on the one big mistake that his opponent makes, but I don't think Silva's making that big mistake. Brock and Fedor would both have a size advantage over Silva, though, with Brock having an enormous size advantage.

However, skill overrides size, and Silva is much more skilled at what he does than either Brock or Fedor is at what they do. As for St. Pierre, I don't think he has the ground game to totally take Silva out.

Anderson Silva is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I do think GSP would have the best chance of beating Silva, but I believe that's because GSP would employ the best strategy, as he would likely try to take Silva to the ground and test him there. St. Pierre's wrestling is phenomenal, and I think he could take Silva down. Brock and Fedor would probably try to stand with Silva for a while, and they'd get knocked out.

There's always been a big part of me that rooted for Anderson Silva, and hoped that he would remain undefeated in his UFC fights. However, after seeing what he did on Saturday, and knowing that he did that twice previously, I'm starting to feel as though he needs to get his ass kicked.

I'm talking full-on destruction, not losing a decision. I don't want what happened with B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar, where you have guys on both sides making cases that either guy should have won. I don't want it to be a situation where someone can make a case that Silva should have won, no, I want him to get beaten into the ground.

I'm still a huge fan of Anderson Silva when he actually tries. He's my favorite fighter, but only when he's motivated to try hard. If he really felt so disrespected by Demian Maia, why didn't he destroy him in the first round to send a message? That's the part I can't reconcile, that's what I don't understand. It doesn't make any sense that he did what he did.

There's also been talk about comments and insults that Silva and his corner said to Demian Maia. Trash-talking happens in every sport, but it is very odd that Silva would level incendiary comments at Maia. I understand that Silva would be upset by comments that Maia had made prior to the fight, if Maia did in fact make such comments, but things said before, during, and after fights don't mean much to me. I prefer to just go by what happens in the fight.

Guys talk, it's just the way things are. It's all theater anyway. The best way to shut someone's mouth is to beat them down in the cage. This isn't basketball, you can actually put your hands on your opponent. As a matter of fact, that's usually how you win.

So if Silva was upset about something Maia said, why didn't he just beat the hell out of him? If you really want to make a guy pay for his comments, you make him eat those words by way of your fists. If you really want him to suffer, you stretch the fight out over three, four, five rounds and give him the ass-whipping of a lifetime, and force him to literally or figuratively throw in the towel.

Prancing around like a little kid isn't making your opponent pay. That's making the customers pay twice, once for the ticket, and again by having to sit through your stupid antics. I know that Silva wants to be challenged, and it's up the UFC to make sure that he is challenged, but it's also upon Anderson Silva to do what Champions do.

Champions win, and they win in convincing fashion. Anderson Silva is the best fighter in the world, but that doesn't mean that he's bigger than mixed-martial arts. I still want to see him fight, but I don't think he can be the main event anymore. I want to see the best fighters fight each other, I don't want to see a guy prancing around because he's bored. My personal suggestion as to what to do about Silva is to have him face the winner of the Rashad Evans vs. Quinton Jackson fight.

There's no easy answers as to what to do about Anderson Silva. What would you do? Post in the Comments section, or e-mail me at hydenfrank@gmail.com and I'll post up some of your comments and suggestions next time.

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