Has anyone ever been as diverse with their finishing techniques, as Anderson Silva?

[The Natural Born Runner]

I just saw a thread about who are the most well-rounded fighters, and it made me think.

Over the years I've always heard people say the same old stuff about well-rounded fighters, and the answers are always the same. Georges St. Pierre will inevitably be in there, Jon Jones is another fan favorite and Demetrious in recent years has been added to that mix.

You even hear people call the likes of Aldo "well-rounded", but I don't think I've ever heard Anderson Silva.

Guys, take a minute to actually digest this.

1. Finished Dan Henderson with a Rear Naked Choke.

2. Hit Vitor Belfort with a standing front face-kick and knocked him out.

3. TKO'd Chael Sonnen and Stephan Bonnar with a knees to the body.

4. Knocked Tony Fryklund out whilst standing, with a step-in reverse back elbow.

5. Knocked Chris Leben and on two separate occasions, Rich Franklin, out with Muay Thai knees.

6. Caught James Irvin's kick and knocked him out with a straight punch.

7. Danced around a legitimate 220+lb man and knocked him out with a jab, whilst leaning back.

8. Hit a triangle-choke/armbar off his back after being beat up for 22 minutes, and defeated Chael Sonnen.

Who in the world was this well-rounded? Who had the ability to end the fight with arm-locks, chokes, elbows, kicks, knees and punches?

Never gets enough credit for how many skills he brought to the table. Anderson had everything!

 

[Deleted member 500785]

He’s fun to watch when he isn’t playing around like a clown.

 

[The Natural Born Runner]

He’s fun to watch when he isn’t playing around like a clown.

That was part of his mystique and it's what led him to victory on so many occasions.

 

[HerpDerp]

Was it actually a jab that he floored Forrest with? I recall it being a rear left hand.

Edit: Yup, it was a rear left.

As for the actual topic, no one comes to mind really. Anderson is incredibly dynamic in everything.

 

[Bend NvR Break]

Matrix style > diversity

 

[wompuscatwilly]

Anderson is The GOAT. Also, worth noting that the front kick to Vitor had never been done in over 1,000 UFC fights leading up to that. He was creative, fun and finished a lot of great fighters.

 

[Frank McEdgar]

That's a crazy list. It's goes to show just how complete of a fighter this guy was.

One of a kind.

 

[TIMELESS TRUTH]

He has KO's with each fist, elbow, knee, and foot.

 

[basedgodfedor]

His steroid choices were quite diverse

 

[truthisfreedom]

 

[MikeyCanFly]

Bones

 

[vladimir]

Most of Silva's career featured one freaky fight after another. Even his losses were astounding- the flying heel hook, the awesome DQ kick from his back, the snapped leg etc.

 

[Kidney Punch]

I just saw a thread about who are the most well-rounded fighters, and it made me think.

Over the years I've always heard people say the same old stuff about well-rounded fighters, and the answers are always the same. Georges St. Pierre will inevitably be in there, Jon Jones is another fan favorite and Demetrious in recent years has been added to that mix.

You even hear people call the likes of Aldo "well-rounded", but I don't think I've ever heard Anderson Silva.

Guys, take a minute to actually digest this.

1. Finished Dan Henderson with a Rear Naked Choke.

2. Hit Vitor Belfort with a standing front face-kick and knocked him out.

3. TKO'd Chael Sonnen and Stephan Bonnar with a knees to the body.

4. Knocked Tony Fryklund out whilst standing, with a step-in reverse back elbow.

5. Knocked Chris Leben and on two separate occasions, Rich Franklin, out with Muay Thai knees.

6. Caught James Irvin's kick and knocked him out with a straight punch.

7. Danced around a legitimate 220+lb man and knocked him out with a jab, whilst leaning back.

8. Hit a triangle-choke/armbar off his back after being beat up for 22 minutes, and defeated Chael Sonnen.

Who in the world was this well-rounded? Who had the ability to end the fight with arm-locks, chokes, elbows, kicks, knees and punches?

Never gets enough credit for how many skills he brought to the table. Anderson had everything!

I disagree on one point - I believe he -does- get the respect he deserves for the skills he brought, by the fans who truly appreciate(d) him. Whatever his more vocal detractors might say, his fights were the stuff of movies, for the most part. We may never see his like again.

 

[ThEiCeMaN6791]

DJ has finished fights with some real tricky shit. Anderson still probably takes the cake though.

 

[NoContest]

Was it actually a jab that he floored Forrest with? I recall it being a rear left hand.

Edit: Yup, it was a rear left.

As for the actual topic, no one comes to mind really. Anderson is incredibly dynamic in everything.

If I'm not mistakened this was a knock down. The KO was a right hand.

 

[The Natural Born Runner]

Was it actually a jab that he floored Forrest with? I recall it being a rear left hand.

Edit: Yup, it was a rear left.

As for the actual topic, no one comes to mind really. Anderson is incredibly dynamic in everything.

He knocked him out with a right, that wasn't the end of the bout in your gif.

 

[The Natural Born Runner]

Bones

Prior to the DC fight Jones hadn't finished a fight in years.

Vast majority of Jones' fights ended in either a front choke or elbows on the ground.

He did have the Rear Naked over Rampage and the body shot against Shogun, but all the damage was done by ground and pound on both occasions prior to the finish.

 

[The Natural Born Runner]

His steroid choices were quite diverse

Boring now mate.

 

[Dozer .]

Good post.

 

[MikeyCanFly]

Prior to the DC fight Jones hadn't finished a fight in years.

Vast majority of Jones' fights ended in either a front choke or elbows on the ground.

He did have the Rear Naked over Rampage and the body shot against Shogun, but all the damage was done by ground and pound on both occasions prior to the finish.

But when he did they were all over the place RNC, standing guillotine, Americana, elbows from crucifix, guard, headkick to DC ( I know its a NC now )