Rewatch 13 years ago | Anderson Silva's epic performance in UFC's return to Brazil since 1998

[pankrat]

#1 P4P Anderson Silva in his prime in Rio de Janeiro | August 27, 2011

The most awesome fighter we've ever seen, coming off front kicking Belfort to hell and the epic Sonnen fight.

This is a top5 win in the MW resume of the greatest MW of all-time. Silva invited the clinch specialist into the clinch and shut him down there, then outjabbed the jabber and entered the Matrix to put away the tough Japanese standout who had only been KOed once in a decade of pro fighting.
Despite being utterly destroyed, Yushin landed more strikes on Silva in 7 minutes than Maia or Leites did in 25.

Anderson defended the MW tittle for the 9th time and avenged an L on his record due to DQ (illegal upkick) in 2006 vs perennial contender Yushin Okami who was 10-2 in UFC, had given all they could handle to the likes of Rich Franklin, Jake Shields or Nate Marquardt, and had already gotten a title shot 3 years before but broke his hand replaced by Coté

It was UFC return to Brazil since 1998 (Wand vs Belfort).
Shogun got his revenge on Griffin and Big Nog knocked out Brendan Shaub in the 1st.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

Well that makes me feel old.

Also incredible he could do that to such a enormous Middleweight.

 

[Davidjacksonjones]

Silva bless. His MMA striking instruction manual is one of the best books I have ever read. So glad to have witnessed him fight during his peak. Once in a generation talent for real

 

[ticho123]

Andersons earlier "loss" to Okami for those who haven't seen it

 

[axe wound]

Yeah. What a loser

 

[Deleted member 504083]

Spider bless

 

[Tweak896]

Silva was something special. To me beyond his record, he looked more like the goat than all the other goat candidates. Not to mention how old he was when he finally lost his belt, he probably should've lost years before. He'd win a different way each fight.

 

[Trabaho]

Sad performance by Okami. Had nothing.

 

[mirko>anyone]

I remember that card vividly. It was the last time i watched a UFC with my college friends. Silva’s fights were usually unforgettable.

 

[Subline]

He'd smoke DDP

 

[CombatCyborg]

Andersons earlier "loss" to Okami for those who haven't seen it

Don't think we've seen a fighter with as many different KO finishes as the Spider

 

[Whitestallion]

I remember that card vividly. It was the last time i watched a UFC with my college friends. Silva’s fights were usually unforgettable.

Crazy how MMA is built into our minds now. I've watch thousands of hours of MMA, and I can remember this night because my GF was upset and wanted to leave before the Anderson Silva fight.

We broke up the next day.

 

[Kote Gaeshi]

What a great fighter, miss those times so much.

 

[mirko>anyone]

Crazy how MMA is built into our minds now. I've watch thousands of hours of MMA, and I can remember this night because my GF was upset and wanted to leave before the Anderson Silva fight.

We broke up the next day.

I feel that. What’s even more peculiar is that i could probably recite every main event from ufc 50-130, but genuinely can’t recall who main evented 2 events ago.

 

[Khaosan]

Well that makes me feel old.

Also incredible he could do that to such a enormous Middleweight.

I felt super old the other day when I realized I watched Shogun run through the MW GP nearly 20 years ago.

 

[pankrat]

Sad performance by Okami. Had nothing.

Yup.

And even then, Okami made Silva work and actually landed more strikes in 7 minutes than Maia or Leites did in 25.

 

[Corrado Soprano]

Silva’s reign as champion in the UFC was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen in the sport. It was legitimately a saga. Silva came in as a unknown (to n00bs), became a fan favorite, then went through a villain arc, then went through a redemption phase, only to come back as a fan favorite again. Is normal.

 

[ChickenBrother]

Also incredible he could do that to such a enormous Middleweight.

Huge. If you saw him in street clothes, you'd swear he was a HW.

 

[pankrat]

Well that makes me feel old.

Also incredible he could do that to such a enormous Middleweight.

Huge. If you saw him in street clothes, you'd swear he was a HW.

Excuse me but Yushin Okami was never a big MW:

- Fought the way bigger Rich Franklin in '07 as a lanky 6'2" who barely cut weight for 185:

- Weighted-in at soft 200lbs with clothes on for a week-notice bout vs OSP at LHW


- Fought at WW dozen times in his late 30s never missing weight, including vs Dhiego Lima in UFC:

An average sized MW in '00s, below average by today standards, and tiny by Poatan's standards.

 

[ChickenBrother]

Silva’s reign as champion in the UFC was the greatest thing I’ve ever seen in the sport. It was legitimately a saga. Silva came in as a unknown (to n00bs), became a fan favorite, then went through a villain arc, then went through a redemption phase, only to come back as a fan favorite again. Is normal.

+1

I was late to realize this and kept rooting against him and for every wrestler or grappler to expose him. But after the Okami fight, I was like fuck it, Andy you da best. And I got on his bandwagon.