Was Anderson Silva's rise similar to McGregor's ?

[Psychedelic]

As I'm rewatching Anderson Silva's fightography since he joined the UFC, I couldn't help but notice many similarities to McGregor's rise.

- Following his fight with Travis Lutter, in which Anderson was taken down and GnP'ed, many thought that Lutter laid the blueprint to defeat Silva. Very similar to the Chad Mendes fight with Conor.

- Silva's striking was way ahead of the rest. Standing up, no one seemed to have an answer to him. Same can be said about Conor. Just like Silva's striking was way ahead of Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, and Vitor Belfort , Cono made Poirier, Mendes, and Aldo look like amateurs in the striking game.

- Silva had a hardcore fan base that was very much vilified on Sherdog, and a dedicated hater base latching on the nuts of whoever The Spider was fighting, only to forget him after he loses and swing on the nuts of his next challenger.

- There's an aura that was very particular to Anderson Silva's fights during his peak. Watching him enter the ring gave fans goose bumps, eyes were glued to screens, and his fights felt like larger than life events. That "don't blink" kind of aura is present when Conor fights too.

I'm particularly interested in the opinions of more ancient Sherdoggers, who witnessed Silva's rise fully.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

He was a more complete fighter, but in some senses yes. Some no.

McG has definitely raised the bar in terms of audiences imo. Silva was never a motormouth who hyped himself and fights. He just went to war and dissected mo-foz.

 

[ithinktheymad]

If I recall, he also nearly gave up at some point too.

 

[The real JG]

You should rephrase the thread title.

 

[MTNinja]

That was the blueprint. Chael got caught.

 

[$uicideboy$]

he didnt really make mendes look like an amateur, he got clipped several times

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

No.

Anderson did it in a more legit weight class, didn't need to talk shit and completely embarrassed fools before moving up to the most stacked weight class and beating its former champ.

 

[Sgt Smith]

Silva got more haters after taking the belt. Not saying he had none, but less.

 

[The_notorious_Levi]

No.

Anderson did it in a more legit weight class, didn't need to talk shit and completely embarrassed fools before moving up to the most stacked weight class and beating its former champ.

A more legit weight class?
Jose Aldo is about as legit as it gets for a champion.

 

[Source]

The fighter with the record for title defenses is nothing like that guy that possibly won't defend his belt once.

 

[DaveHilly]

Actually his rise was nothing like Conors. He wasn't even super popular in his own country, let alone the rest of the world, until he kicked Vitor in the face. That was 5 years into his title reign! Conor had insane fans way before he was champ.

Anderson also had slowly gained his hardcore fanbase from the amazing things that he did in the octagon. Seriously, I don't think that we'll ever see anyone do what Anderson did again. Conors hardcore fanbase, I mean most of them are just there cause they like the way he talks and act and want to be him. It's very different.

 

[$uicideboy$]

The fighter with the record for title defenses is nothing like that guy that possibly won't defend his belt once.

way to ignore everything TS said and get defensive about the cheater anderoid

 

[Mood Swings]

 

[Drogon]

As I'm rewatching Anderson Silva's fightography since he joined the UFC, I couldn't help but notice many similarities to McGregor's rise.

.

I kind of agree and have had the same thought before. Anderson is bit more well rounded. Just using your own example, silva was able to submit lutter whereas conor got back up and tko'd chad - he's more solely a striker than silva was. Not to mention andersons clinch game. I also don't think conor has that same aura yet. After the aldo win it may be creeping up but with silva there was just this feeling that he was pretty much untouchable and that you were gonna see something special that night.

If he keeps winning then he'll probably get there imo

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

A more legit weight class?
Jose Aldo is about as legit as it gets for a champion.

Jose Aldo is not an entire weight class, he is one fighter.

Connor fights in the manlet weight class.

 

[moccai]

No.

Anderson did it in a more legit weight class, didn't need to talk shit and completely embarrassed fools before moving up to the most stacked weight class and beating its former champ.

Really ? Rich Franklin is more legit than Jose Aldo. Travis Lutter more legit Chad Mendes. McGregor is moving up to a more stacked weight division to fight the current champion.
I think this TS has backed up his point well

 

[Peteyandjia]

It's funny, people said that Conor was protected on his way to the title, but he fought 5 people before his shot. Anderson fought exactly 1 guy before his title shot.

Anyway, they do have some similarities, in that they are both magical strikers. Therefore people will always think that a takedown is the way to beat them.

 

[LouisBolanos]

Nowhere near as popular/polarizing both in the states and in his home country of Brazil for years.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

lol @ the white knighting of the manlet weight class we're about to witness in this thread

 

[The_notorious_Levi]

Jose Aldo is not an entire weight class, he is one fighter.

Connor fights in the manlet weight class.

Silva fights in a Manlet weight class, Bones would destroy them all.