kayakangler
FISH OR DIE
Cant wait one more week.. My first UFC and both my favorite fighters are going to be in it...
UFC 101 count down
- Thread starter kayakangler
- Start date
kayakangler
FISH OR DIE
Silva.. is unreal... just cant see any one beating him... that being said... Forest is no push over... going to be great to watch...
UncleBacon
Active Member
I want forest to win...I like silva but I like forest just a little more...its kind of like the Belfort vs Franklin fight coming up...I like Franklin but Belfort is one of my all time favorite fighters
kayakangler
FISH OR DIE
ANderson talking about giving his belt up and staying at light heavy weight...Sounds good to me
Mojo
New Member
ANderson talking about giving his belt up and staying at light heavy weight...Sounds good to me
I can't imagine he would give up his belt, he needs to work his way through the light heavyweights and hold two belts
tugboater
Miller Tang Soo Do Rocks
The sold-out show, which took place at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, drew 17,411 spectators for a record $3.55 million gate, UFC president Dana White announced in a post-fight press conference.
The gate is a combat-sports record for Pennsylvania, a state that only recently began regulating mixed martial arts but has a rich boxing history that includes a 1926 Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney match that drew 120,557 spectators.
As MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) previously reported, UFC 101, the first UFC event to take place in "The Keystone State," had nearly sold out nearly two months before the show date. UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner confirmed that 14,000 tickets worth an estimated $3 million had been sold by late June.
According to White, nearly 11,000 fans were in their seats for the night's first preliminary fight, 14,500 were seated for the beginning of the main card, and the rest of the crowd filled in for the night's main attractions.
"Philly's a big, big fight town," White said.
UFC 101 featured B.J. Penn's successful lightweight title defense over Kenny Florian and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's non-title victory over light heavyweight Forrest Griffin.
The gate is a combat-sports record for Pennsylvania, a state that only recently began regulating mixed martial arts but has a rich boxing history that includes a 1926 Jack Dempsey vs. Gene Tunney match that drew 120,557 spectators.
As MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) previously reported, UFC 101, the first UFC event to take place in "The Keystone State," had nearly sold out nearly two months before the show date. UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner confirmed that 14,000 tickets worth an estimated $3 million had been sold by late June.
According to White, nearly 11,000 fans were in their seats for the night's first preliminary fight, 14,500 were seated for the beginning of the main card, and the rest of the crowd filled in for the night's main attractions.
"Philly's a big, big fight town," White said.
UFC 101 featured B.J. Penn's successful lightweight title defense over Kenny Florian and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva's non-title victory over light heavyweight Forrest Griffin.
UncleBacon
Active Member
I can't imagine he would give up his belt, he needs to work his way through the light heavyweights and hold two belts
PHILADELPHIA – Hours after the most electrifying domination in a career filled with them, deep in a back hallway of the Wachovia Center, Anderson Silva was waiting for Dana White. Silva is the UFC’s middleweight (185-pound) champion but Saturday he boldly moved up 20 pounds and in a jaw-dropping exhibition, brutalized Forrest Griffin, who just nine months ago was the light heavyweight (205) title holder.
Silva knocked Griffin down twice, offered a hand to help him up once and then promptly floored him again for good at 3:23 of the first round of UFC 101. Most remarkably, he did it with a punch he threw while backpedaling.
Related Video Catch UFC 101 replay Catch UFC 101 replay
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It was a complete annihilation. Griffin failed to land a single punch and when he came to his senses, he sprung up and ran from the octagon, trying to push through a doctor’s examination.
“He might be in Georgia by now, he ran out and I haven’t seen him since,” White, the UFC president, joked.
That Silva could move up a weight class and not just win, but destroy with power, was a game-changing and perhaps UFC-altering moment. That’s what Silva and his manager, Ed Soares, wanted to discuss with White.
With his arm wrapped around White’s shoulder, Soares leaned in and delivered a proposition. “Spider” Silva would move permanently to light heavyweight, even if it meant the unorthodox move of giving up his middleweight belt.
“I can do that,” White smiled, a bit stunned at the offer. “I like that. We can do that.”
Soares smiled and shook White’s hand. Silva had been accosted by a fan by then and couldn’t hear White, but it was presumably the news he was seeking. The man has such outrageous confidence in his abilities he’s willing to potentially toss away a championship he’s owned for almost three years to take a challenge outside his comfort zone.
“I’d let him,” White said later, sitting in his quiet dressing room. “We’d put [the middleweight title] up for grabs.”
The hour was late and everyone’s excitement was still high. Perhaps plans and goals change by morning, so White didn’t know what to say officially. This was still just hurried talk. He knew this much though, as a promoter there are more blockbuster fights for Silva at 205 than 185, where he’s beaten everyone of note.
Silva’s next title defense was supposed to be against Dan Henderson, who Silva savagely choked out in March 2008.
“Who knows,” White said, wheels already spinning. “We’ll see what happens. In the talks I’ve had with Anderson, he wants to take on the best in the world. He’s the most talented fighter in the world, the best pound for pound fighter and it’s a joke to say anyone else is. And he wants to continue to prove [it].”
White thought for a moment.
“He would jump in that mix [at the top of the light heavyweight division],” White said. “You’ve got Rashad [Evans], you’ve got Rampage [Jackson], [Lyoto] Machida is the champion. And Tito [Ortiz] is in the mix now.”
If Silva did vacate the middleweight title to move up full time, the ironic thing is that he claims it wouldn’t be to pursue the light heavyweight belt. At least as long as it was held by Machida, a fellow Brazilian and training partner.
“Lyoto is my friend, he is my brother and there is no way that fight will ever happen,” Silva said.
White, coveting a clash between two men who are both unbeaten in UFC competition, brushes that talk aside.
“I’ll make it happen,” White said winking his eye. “It’s not even about money. It’s about proving you’re the best, it’s about securing your place in history. It’s about putting on a super fight that fans want to see.
“I’m all about making big fights that fans want to see.”
Saturday was one of those fights. Silva was motivated by criticism that his last two fights – both victories mind you ¬– were dull, so he gladly moved up to take on a dangerous Griffin, who was known for his attack dog style.
It was intriguing, at least until Silva started toying with Griffin. He knocked Griffin down at will, dared him to connect with a punch, challenged him to be as tough as his reputation and then finally just finished him.
Coming in there was a “Rocky” element to the fight, Griffin the heavy underdog with the Philly crowd firmly behind him and booing Silva. By the end, Griffin was gone and Silva was being cheered. It was the recognition of brilliance overcoming any easy Hollywood storylines.
“He wants to be involved in the biggest fights we can put together,” Soares said.
The fact Silva took this fight is a testament to that. The Brazilian is 25-4 overall and has won all 10 of his fights in the UFC. At age 34, he could’ve sat at middleweight and potentially won 10 more, making nice money with relatively little risk in a division he’s been untouchable in.
That isn’t him though. Not even close.
So not long after stunning the sport with a legendary performance, there he and his manager were, trying to force a back-hall huddle with the UFC kingmaker. Move Silva to light heavyweight for good, they suggested to White.
With nothing left to prove at middleweight, Anderson Silva now wants to lay waste to a whole new division of the UFC. He doesn’t need a belt to prove a thing.
UncleBacon
Active Member
he still has atleast 2 more fights at 185....henderson and belfort as long as belfort beats franklin...after that maybe the catch weight fight with gsp....gsp even said he was willing as long as they gave him the time to properly gain the weight...silva obviously didn't take any damage so the fight with henderson should be sometime by the end of the year maybe december...I can't see it waiting past January...should be interesting to see which career path he plans to take
Mojo
New Member
Henderson is just going to get worked again. GSP is great in his weight class but there is no way he could step up to Silva. Machita or the heavyweights are the only ones I see giving him a challenge
UncleBacon
Active Member
Henderson is just going to get worked again. GSP is great in his weight class but there is no way he could step up to Silva. Machita or the heavyweights are the only ones I see giving him a challenge
you can't count out belfort...the dude might have the fastest hands in the ufc...his only problem was when his sister got kidnapped and murdered but he's come back and seems to be back on top of his game...
2lazy2P
nothing unreal exists
I think it would be a good thing for Silva to give up the Middleweight Belt - that class has become stale with him DOMINATING the whole class. Would put some breath back into it to see others duke it out for a bit while Silva cleans out the 205'rs.
2lazy2P
nothing unreal exists
BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian
Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin
Kendall Grove vs. Ricardo Almeida
1 out of 5?
vanbells
Pookieboo!!!
I don't see how giving up a belt makes a better class. I would think fighters would train harder or we could see a new breed of fighters emerge.