MMA News: Anderson Silva to Move Up to Light Heavyweight Permanently?

[halfback20]

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.

 

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[dolamite]

He sure looked good at 205, and thats about the only class with guys good enough to challenge him right now. I was wanting to see what Belfort could do against him at 185 but it looks like Belfort is set on fighting at 205 as well.

[00Rocket28]

I'd love to see this

[formerkywrestler]

There isn't much competition for him at Middleweight. I'd love to see this happen.

[5wide]

He sure looked good at 205, and thats about the only class with guys good enough to challenge him right now. I was wanting to see what Belfort could do against him at 185 but it looks like Belfort is set on fighting at 205 as well.

 

Belfort would be a first round KO victim. Vitor has a ton of talent...you see that when he fights lesser fighters. But, when he steps up to elite competition, he doesn't produce. I have no reason to believe he'd beat the best fighter he's ever faced.

 

Seriously, here's the best wins on his resume...Wanderlei Silva by TKO (1998), Heath Herring by unanimous decision (2001), Matt Lindland by KO (2009), and finally, Randy Couture via TKO by cut 49 seconds into the fight (2004). The Couture win is his best on paper, but in reality it wasn't a decisive victory...and considering Randy dominated the rematch, it's not worth much in my eyes.

 

He's pretty much lost every single time he's stepped up to elite competition...

 

Couture (twice), Sakuraba, Liddell, Ortiz, Overeem (twice) and Dan Henderson.

 

I'd like to see the fight, because Vitor is usually a pretty agressive striker, so it should be another favorable style matchup like the Forrest fight...with the same result.

[5wide]

There isn't much competition for him at Middleweight. I'd love to see this happen.

 

There's no competition for him there. I would like to see Hendo get another crack at him, but I don't think he'd win.

 

I'll be honest...I have serious doubts about the 205 pound division ultimately offering anything more for Silva. There are more marquee names to build his legend on, but as far as competition...

 

Rashad Evans? Tito Ortiz? We saw what he did to Forrest Griffin, the former champion.

 

I think moving up is the only thing that makes sense, but the ultimate goal has to be a Machida vs. Silva fight. In fact, that should be Machida's next fight. The only reason it won't be is Silva's insistence that he won't fight him. Otherwise, he's more deserving of a title shot at 205 than anyone else.

 

The four fights I'd like to see Silva take at 205...

 

Machida - The reasons are obvious.

Rampage - Rampage is tough as nails. I think it's going to take a guy with an iron chin to beat Silva and Rampage at least has that going for him.

Shogun - If he can return to the form he showed in PRIDE. If not, it would be another KO exhibition for Silva. Could be anyway.

Tito - Not because I think he could actually win, but because I enjoy seeing him get dominated and knocked out.

 

Whether it offers more competition or not, Silva needs a new victim list and something to keep him interested.

[5wide]

Other questions, assuming Silva permanently moves to 205...

 

Does Rich Franklin drop back to 185? If Silva is at 205, there's no reason for him to be there.

 

Is the Hendo/Silva fight off? What does Henderson do? Is he more interested in the MW title or a rematch with Silva? Could we get a Henderson vs. Frankling re-match for the 185 pound belt?

 

And, how long will it take before the MW belt has the same prestige? For a while, whoever has it will be viewed as a champion by default because Silva cleaned out the division and got bored.

 

And, finally, does this move put to rest the GSP vs. Anderson Silva movement?

[hoopboy]

There's no competition for him there. I would like to see Hendo get another crack at him, but I don't think he'd win.

 

I'll be honest...I have serious doubts about the 205 pound division ultimately offering anything more for Silva. There are more marquee names to build his legend on, but as far as competition...

 

Rashad Evans? Tito Ortiz? We saw what he did to Forrest Griffin, the former champion.

 

I think moving up is the only thing that makes sense, but the ultimate goal has to be a Machida vs. Silva fight. In fact, that should be Machida's next fight. The only reason it won't be is Silva's insistence that he won't fight him. Otherwise, he's more deserving of a title shot at 205 than anyone else.

 

The four fights I'd like to see Silva take at 205...

 

Machida - The reasons are obvious.

Rampage - Rampage is tough as nails. I think it's going to take a guy with an iron chin to beat Silva and Rampage at least has that going for him.

Shogun - If he can return to the form he showed in PRIDE. If not, it would be another KO exhibition for Silva. Could be anyway.

Tito - Not because I think he could actually win, but because I enjoy seeing him get dominated and knocked out.

 

Whether it offers more competition or not, Silva needs a new victim list and something to keep him interested.

 

:thumb: I'll never be able to figure out for the life of me how someone that is so terrible make such a big name for himself. Tito sucks.

[formerkywrestler]

Other questions, assuming Silva permanently moves to 205...

 

Does Rich Franklin drop back to 185? If Silva is at 205, there's no reason for him to be there.

 

Is the Hendo/Silva fight off? What does Henderson do? Is he more interested in the MW title or a rematch with Silva? Could we get a Henderson vs. Frankling re-match for the 185 pound belt?

 

And, how long will it take before the MW belt has the same prestige? For a while, whoever has it will be viewed as a champion by default because Silva cleaned out the division and got bored.

 

And, finally, does this move put to rest the GSP vs. Anderson Silva movement?

If Silva eventually fights Machida and all of the other big names at 205 I don't see how it could conceivably be said that GSP at MW would offer any kind of challenge for him. Hell, if that happens you may see a movement for Silva to bump up to HW or maybe a "catch weight".

 

Either way, Silva is a bad, bad man and I'm already anxiously awaiting his next fight.

 

BUT, if Silva fails against the comp at LHW then I think you will see a renewed interest in a Silva/GSP fight.

[5wide]

If Silva eventually fights Machida and all of the other big names at 205 I don't see how it could conceivably be said that GSP at MW would offer any kind of challenge for him. Hell, if that happens you may see a movement for Silva to bump up to HW or maybe a "catch weight".

 

Either way, Silva is a bad, bad man and I'm already anxiously awaiting his next fight.

 

BUT, if Silva fails against the comp at LHW then I think you will see a renewed interest in a Silva/GSP fight.

 

It's certainly possible that a top notch LHW like Machida could take Silva down. But, even if he cannot dominate 205 like 185, at worst he'd be the second or third best guy in the division.

 

There are two guys, IMO, who have a realistic chance of beating Silva.

 

Rampage, because he's a huge LHW and he's tough as nails. If he could absorb a few shots to get in close and get Silva to the mat, he could use his size and strength to potentially beat him. However, I still have visions of what Wanderlei and Shogun did to him in PRIDE with their Muay-Thai striking...and Silva is better than both of those guys. It's possible, but unlikely.

 

The real prize at 205 is a Machida-Silva title match. Both guys are intelligent, elite strikers. Machida's elusive style would present an interesting matchup on paper. That's the fight I'd most like to see in UFC right now.

 

I really don't see anyone else beating him, unless they just get lucky.

[formerkywrestler]

It's certainly possible that a top notch LHW like Machida could take Silva down. But, even if he cannot dominate 205 like 185, at worst he'd be the second or third best guy in the division.

 

There are two guys, IMO, who have a realistic chance of beating Silva.

 

Rampage, because he's a huge LHW and he's tough as nails. If he could absorb a few shots to get in close and get Silva to the mat, he could use his size and strength to potentially beat him. However, I still have visions of what Wanderlei and Shogun did to him in PRIDE with their Muay-Thai striking...and Silva is better than both of those guys. It's possible, but unlikely.

 

The real prize at 205 is a Machida-Silva title match. Both guys are intelligent, elite strikers. Machida's elusive style would present an interesting matchup on paper. That's the fight I'd most like to see in UFC right now.

 

I really don't see anyone else beating him, unless they just get lucky.

After the Shogun match I think you are going to see a very strong movement among MMA fans for this fight to happen. With both of them being under Dana I think he will make it happen.

 

I'm with you...I want to see that fight probably more than any others. (especially with Fedor/Lesnar being on hold at the very least).

[woodsrider]

There's no competition for him there. I would like to see Hendo get another crack at him, but I don't think he'd win.

 

I'll be honest...I have serious doubts about the 205 pound division ultimately offering anything more for Silva. There are more marquee names to build his legend on, but as far as competition...

 

Rashad Evans? Tito Ortiz? We saw what he did to Forrest Griffin, the former champion.

 

I think moving up is the only thing that makes sense, but the ultimate goal has to be a Machida vs. Silva fight. In fact, that should be Machida's next fight. The only reason it won't be is Silva's insistence that he won't fight him. Otherwise, he's more deserving of a title shot at 205 than anyone else.

 

The four fights I'd like to see Silva take at 205...

 

Machida - The reasons are obvious.

Rampage - Rampage is tough as nails. I think it's going to take a guy with an iron chin to beat Silva and Rampage at least has that going for him.

Shogun - If he can return to the form he showed in PRIDE. If not, it would be another KO exhibition for Silva. Could be anyway.

Tito - Not because I think he could actually win, but because I enjoy seeing him get dominated and knocked out.

 

Whether it offers more competition or not, Silva needs a new victim list and something to keep him interested.

What's the story on Silva not wanting to fight Machida?

[Habib]

What's the story on Silva not wanting to fight Machida?

 

They are training partners.

[saint4]

Silva would have to give up his middle weight belt, butI think it is worth it. I think he will eventually fight Machida, and eventually win the light heavyweight title.

[5wide]

Silva would have to give up his middle weight belt, butI think it is worth it. I think he will eventually fight Machida, and eventually win the light heavyweight title.

 

At Silva's level, that belt is virtually meaningless now. There's zero doubt that he is the best in the world at 185. There's nothing for him to prove or accomplish by staying there...other than finishing a legacy for people to look back on and wow at the fact that he dominated an entire weight class for 5-10 years.

 

But, imagine the legacy if he vacates the belt (everyone will still know he was the man at 185) and moves up and wins the title at 205 in similar fashion. That would be an era of dominance never before seen in the sport, and one that would be very difficult to match.

 

Moving up makes the most sense, and it has for a while. There are some marquee fights to be had...much more intriguing than fights with Maia, Marquardt, etc.