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Yet he turned out to be the GOAT?
Back in 2006 when PRIDE was still the top dog and UFC was gaining on them at an incredible pace, the PRIDE vs UFC debates were in full swing -- especially on Sherdog where the two organizations shared a forum.
Anderson Silva was one of the first guys who had fought in PRIDE to come over to the UFC (after a short stint in Cage Rage).
To UFC fans, Anderson was going to be one of the first guys to be exposed in the post TUF UFC. Chris Leben was going to beat him and, as he claimed, "send him back to Japan where the competition is easier."
PRIDE fans were trying to stop the damage before it even happened claiming it doesn't matter if Leben beats him because Anderson already showed he couldn't hang in PRIDE anyways. Leben beating him would prove nothing.
Fast-forward to a couple years later when UFC has already bought PRIDE and PRIDE vs UFC matches are on going, and after it's proven it never mattered what org someone was from, but more about how they matched up with any given opponent, both PRIDE and UFC fans changed their tune and were trying to claim Anderson for their own. Anderson was a PRIDE fighter so his wins should count in the PRIDE fighters win totals according to PRIDE fans. Nope. Anderson left PRIDE and was brought over on the cheap by Dana, so he was a UFC fighter.
In reality, Anderson, like anyone else, was never a PRIDE or UFC fighter. He was a prizefighter fighting for the biggest purses he could get.
In the end it showed how silly that whole debate was when the only thing UFC and PRIDE fans could agree on was that Anderson wasn't very good, but then he turned out to be the best.
It doesn't matter what organization you're in, it matters what matchups you get and how you handle them. PRIDE vs UFC, WEC and Strikeforce guys coming over, etc has taught us that. Chances are the win/loss will be 50/50 because organizations matter little in determining who wins a fight between 2 individuals.
These days, UFC fans seem to be doing the same thing to non UFC fighters that they hated PRIDE fans for doing to them. Claiming UFC fighters weren't good because they didn't fight in PRIDE was silly because it was never about where someone fought, it matters who they match up with. Remember that next time you want to claim someone isn't going to do well in the UFC because they never fought there.
Back in 2006 when PRIDE was still the top dog and UFC was gaining on them at an incredible pace, the PRIDE vs UFC debates were in full swing -- especially on Sherdog where the two organizations shared a forum.
Anderson Silva was one of the first guys who had fought in PRIDE to come over to the UFC (after a short stint in Cage Rage).
To UFC fans, Anderson was going to be one of the first guys to be exposed in the post TUF UFC. Chris Leben was going to beat him and, as he claimed, "send him back to Japan where the competition is easier."
PRIDE fans were trying to stop the damage before it even happened claiming it doesn't matter if Leben beats him because Anderson already showed he couldn't hang in PRIDE anyways. Leben beating him would prove nothing.
Fast-forward to a couple years later when UFC has already bought PRIDE and PRIDE vs UFC matches are on going, and after it's proven it never mattered what org someone was from, but more about how they matched up with any given opponent, both PRIDE and UFC fans changed their tune and were trying to claim Anderson for their own. Anderson was a PRIDE fighter so his wins should count in the PRIDE fighters win totals according to PRIDE fans. Nope. Anderson left PRIDE and was brought over on the cheap by Dana, so he was a UFC fighter.
In reality, Anderson, like anyone else, was never a PRIDE or UFC fighter. He was a prizefighter fighting for the biggest purses he could get.
In the end it showed how silly that whole debate was when the only thing UFC and PRIDE fans could agree on was that Anderson wasn't very good, but then he turned out to be the best.
It doesn't matter what organization you're in, it matters what matchups you get and how you handle them. PRIDE vs UFC, WEC and Strikeforce guys coming over, etc has taught us that. Chances are the win/loss will be 50/50 because organizations matter little in determining who wins a fight between 2 individuals.
These days, UFC fans seem to be doing the same thing to non UFC fighters that they hated PRIDE fans for doing to them. Claiming UFC fighters weren't good because they didn't fight in PRIDE was silly because it was never about where someone fought, it matters who they match up with. Remember that next time you want to claim someone isn't going to do well in the UFC because they never fought there.
