Silva opponents that would've or could've beaten Weidman/Rockhold/Jacare

I always felt like the writing on the wall for Anderson appeared after Chael got ragdolled by Jon Jones. His most infamous rival just got embarrassed from bell to bell pretty easily a man that most of the MMA world wanted to see him fight, but these things happen when you put guys like their late 30s with about 40 pro MMA fights up against guys in their mid 20s.

Sure enough, the first guy to fight Anderson in 2013 beat him, but I always felt like TRTVitor or Luke Rockhold or even Jacare could've won if they had been given the chance.

That said, Silva is a guy who was a top 3 p4p fighter for quite some time and has obviously beaten quite a few guys who have held titles. On the other hand, people are always hyping up the ever evolving nature of the sport. So are there are any opponents that Silva has beaten that could've beaten Weidman, Rockhold, or Jacare besides this guy?



Could either of the top 3 MWs run over Forrest Griffin @ 205, 2 division Pride Champ Dan Henderson, Rich Franklin, Yushin Okami, Chael Sonnen or Nate Marquardt in their primes?

 

Hendo has a chance against anyone he fights.

 

a younger franklin would give souza some problems
marquardt = dr jekyll and mr hyde
murray: could have become what rockhold is
newton: gas tank?

 

Vitor didn't beat Weidman or Jacare....but I guess you're saying he 'could have'?

 

Silva had a few opponents that were easy targets, but he beat some good guys. Franklin, Hendo, Griffin, Okami....All legit dudes.

 

Maia could have gotten a Shields style win over Jacare.

 

Hendo, Rich, Vitor (yes he was on TRT when he fought anderson), Marquardt, Sonnen, Forrest, Okami, Maia could all win against those guys.

 

The Anderson who fought Hendo,smashes trt vitor,rockhold,jacare and weidman

In his later years he became more of an entertainer,But when he fought someone early on his career who he felt was dangerous the dude was an assassin

 

Franklin, Belfort, Henderson and Griffin were top end wins. All 4 could give any, including who you listed, hell on any given night.

Okami, Bonnar, Marquardt, Sonne and Maia are next tier down, but 'quality' wins.

I like the way you've set this angle up - taking the fighter in question out of the equation and looking at the other 'integers'.

 

idk Vitor is who he is... he has the power to KO anyone but he has some pretty obvious and reoccuring weaknesses

and damn he looked like the incredible hulk in 2013...

and he mgiht not be done yet, might still fight Jacare or rematch Rockhold/Weidman

 

I feel the Henderson fight, especially on the coattails of the Franklin fights, was the crowning moment in Anderson's career.

Those 3 were, without any question, the old guard at middleweight. All 3 were still definitely prime, and definitely top of the pile when Anderson finished them.

All 3 aged, like fighter's do, and as fading is a slow process, we can sometimes forget how dominant they each were.

Those 2 (well, 3) wins are his greatest, for sure. And 2006ish Silva, Henderson, and Franklin are totally on or above the level of Weidman, Rockhold and Jacare.

 

Hendo is the only one that I think could have had a decent shot against all 3.

 

Personally I think Henderson and Griffin @ 205 both beat 2/3 of them.

 

anyone has a chance against anyone he fights

 

Are we talking about the same hendo that was out wrestled by rampage jackson? haha. All three would beat hendo quite easily. Weidman would beat him on the feet or on the ground. Jacare would have killed hendo the ground. Freaken Jake shields out wrestled hendo, like nothing. And rockhold would have submitted hendo or ko'd him...

 

Griffen? ahahahaha. Are you kidding me? that guy was super slow. All 3 would have destroyed griffen...

 

That's not true.

 

Only guy other than Jacre and Rockhold is Romero. I definitely give him a good chance.

 

none of them.

 

he was on roids