If Anderson Silva loses to Israel Adesanya, does that affect his GOAT legacy?

[OldYellowBricks]

Nope.

At this point in his career everyone, even casual fans must know and understand his best days are behind him.

He cemented his legacy years ago with a lengthy reign at Middleweight and ridiculous unbeaten streak.

It’s a real shame the Andy vs. GSP fight never happened back in the day. *sigh*

Especially as the whole ‘super fight’ or ‘Champ vs. Champ’ fights seem to be happening every other month nowadays.

 

[lawrencel2]

I love when you desperately change the subject.
It just blatantly shows you don't have any way to respond to what I said.
It basically confirms what I said to be right.

Keep trying, kid.
You always lose.

Lol at Bums. At the time, Forrest Griffen was one fight removed from champ?
Taking fights on super short notice? Bonnar and Cormier? GTFO. Every champ is going to make smart decisions about their career and namesake. I don't know how someone with a 2010 account can make such a short sided response.
Ducking is also a pretty strong accusation but its pretty clear that you're a Silva hater. Weidman was a great fighter (10-0) at the time IIRC, but he was not a big payday. I think its a much better argument to just say: silva wanted a bigger name for his next fight, which is reasonable for someone who destroyed every person for a close to a decade...

 

[Magnum1978]

Wouldn't really matter. Is a bit like if Fedor loses to Bader

They've done their bit to cement their legacy - the only question mark for Anderson is that he's been flagged for PEDs (and also asked for TRT) so if he looks *very bad* then people might use that as ammo against him, forgetting that he's 44...

 

[Joshuagilbert91]

Ando will lose... but he is past his prime. What would be a bigger story is if he manages to win.

 

[C0NCH3TO]

No. Roids did harm his career big time, tho.

 

[Pacemaker Joe]

Silva's losses to Takase and Chonan should have more bearing on his legacy than anything he does now. He's still an all time great, regardless.

 

[D'z]

Sweet, another GOAT thread...

 

[Shcooby Dooby Doo]

Wouldn't really matter. Is a bit like if Fedor loses to Bader

They've done their bit to cement their legacy - the only question mark for Anderson is that he's been flagged for PEDs (and also asked for TRT) so if he looks *very bad* then people might use that as ammo against him, forgetting that he's 44...

In all fairness to Anderson Silva, he most likely did peds post USADA to speed up the recovery of his snapped leg.
That mentioned, he definitely did a lot of doping pre USADA. It is totally obvious he did it as much as everyone else.
I wouldn't hold it against him. It was fair game back then and if they were all probably on it, he still beat everyone handily.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

No, GOAT status is defined by an athlete's best run, not by their entire career.

Otherwise you end up "rewarding" fighters who play safe at the start and end of their career, and greatness has nothing to do with safeness.

"Cole Konrad is the best heavyweight ever because he was undefeated"

 

[Deported]

I think he would have to make a run through the Chris, then win the belt, post USDA, . But it’s too late for him. A lot of killers at MW.

 

[squatchi26]

Damage has already been done. Jones, GSP, MM and maybe a few others are typically brought up not him. Only upside here if he wins IMO. Otherwise his story's already been written.

lol wut? Silvas name isnt brought up as the GOAT?

 

[JarlSkuld]

When discussing the GOAT, their late-career defeats usually aren't included. When Anderson and Fedor both get destroyed in their next fights, many people will still consider them GOAT(s). Otherwise, retiring at the peak of one's career would be necessary criteria for being GOAT...and that doesn't sound right.

Jarl

 

[Rum]

This is one of the dumbest prevalent notions on Sherdog. How the fuck does someone's entire career not define their GOAT status, but only a certain portion does?

Haha, woah there tiger, no need to get all het up about it.

You deride the notion that supposed cherry picking shouldn't be rewarded to avoid losses, when the inverse that you're not winning doesn't equally affect someone's status? That's ridiculous.

Haha, no, no, no, what's ridiculous is where you say the inverse of cherry-picking is not winning. That's not how inverses work. In actual fact the inverse of cherry-picking is not cherry-picking, i.e., taking tough fights.

For example taking on a rising, prime physical age Izzy Adesanya when you're a decade or so past your physical prime yourself. Alternatively you could have simply retired on your 38th birthday before a young stud like Chris Weidman could get his hands on you.

This is the FIGHT game, not the retirement game. You really want to reward the decision to retire over the decision to FIGHT?

 

[gevoudane]

His failed drug test took care of his goat status. If he never failed a test but lost to Israel his status would be the same. When MJ went from Air Jordan to 'FLOOR' jordan didnt change the fact that in his prime and peak he was the best.

 

[SpongeJoshSquareCheck]

No. Prime Anderson Silva was murdered almost 5 years ago by Chris Weidmam

 

[CodeBreaker]

His failed drug test took care of his goat status. If he never failed a test but lost to Israel his status would be the same. When MJ went from Air Jordan to 'FLOOR' jordan didnt change the fact that in his prime and peak he was the best.

Was Silva the Jordan of UFC?

 

[ignorant MMA fan]

It's a double standard, but at age 43, one can add to their legacy much more than subtract from it. If he loses it's like, what the fuck was he doing cage fighting at 43?! If he wins it's like he's 43 and still fuckin dudes up!

 

[OxSxM]

Nah, but beating him will make his goat resume' even stronger

 

[Shaddows]

Lol at Bums. At the time, Forrest Griffen was one fight removed from champ?
Taking fights on super short notice? Bonnar and Cormier? GTFO. Every champ is going to make smart decisions about their career and namesake. I don't know how someone with a 2010 account can make such a short sided response.
Ducking is also a pretty strong accusation but its pretty clear that you're a Silva hater. Weidman was a great fighter (10-0) at the time IIRC, but he was not a big payday. I think its a much better argument to just say: silva wanted a bigger name for his next fight, which is reasonable for someone who destroyed every person for a close to a decade...

IMHO, a much better fight (at the time) was Luke.
UFC had just acquired SF, and Luke was their champion.
I can't understand why they put luke against Vitor instead of making a belt unification fight...

Besides, Silva never ducked. Weidman had an operation (arm or neck) and Silva was filming with Segal and opening his Gym. He reportedly noted he would not fight until March the following year. It was just his manager who was talking about exactly that point (that Weidman was not a draw) and that a fight with Cung Le would make more sense in terms of being a draw, and GSP nutsuckers went crazy claiming he was ducking Weidman and "calling out Le instead".
Then the UFC called and him (and Nog) accepted a short notice fight against Bonnar (and Dave Herman) to save the event. That's when they went balistic, claiming Silva was fighting anyone but Weidman...

The claim he was ducking is just another pathetic and desperate attempt from GSP nutsuckers. they can't protect GSP, so they always try to pull everyone down, with the hopes this brings GSP above the rest.
I find it incredible, since IMHO GSP needs no help to be in the GOAT discussion. But those are just the dishonest ones (that try this),and they are well known on this site. ThunderStruck is just one of the worst ones.

Much like a monkey-brain, he can't answer anything about GSP without throwing shit on someone else. And invariably, those are lies or misinformation.

 

[ivantheterible]

Anderson silva is 5 years removed from his prime . It means absolutely nothing if Addy beats him