Who would you have favored to win in 2007: Anderson Silva or Paulo Filho?

[ExitLUPin]

The 2 best MWs at the time. Filho had one of the highest peaks ever for a MW. Ppl thought he was a bad style matchup for Anderson at the time as well and dude was 16-0 with some very good wins. But they were apparently good friends

 

[phunky]

This is very random

 

[FimbulFightPicks]

Michael Bisping.

 

[SirKratos]

Hypothetical nostalgia match ups.....

Just when modern-day hypothetical match ups weren't enough

 

[Forever Young]

I was a 13 year old pro wrestling fan and I would have picked Filho to sub Rickson and God in the same night for a while back in those days. Plus, I stupidly picked against Anderson for well after 07.

 

[Medical Marijuana Man]

Anderson taunts him while Filho talks to invisible people.

 

[ABSthetics]

Pre Ghost Buster and 6th Sense Filho was a beast. This fight would've have been extraordinary at the time.

Really tough call but I think Anderson would've gotten a TKO, but a Filho sub is something that could've easily happened.

One of the fights Im legit sad we never got to see.

Instead a year later we got Ghost Hunters before it became mainstream:

 

[ortizgnp]

Sonnen smashed Filho in their first fight and Filho was lucky his perfect record didn't get shattered in their first fight.
Sonnen smashed Anderson.

Conclusion: Chael Sonnen is the 185 King and GOAT and it's not even close.

 

[ExitLUPin]

Michael Bisping.

Was a mediocre LHW back then

 

[ExitLUPin]

Hypothetical nostalgia match ups.....

Just when modern-day hypothetical match ups weren't enough

Some of us who actually watched MMA back then like to think of fights/performances from that era. Doesn't mean we don't enjoy modern MMA

 

[SirKratos]

Some of us who actually watched MMA back then like to think of fights/performances from that era. Doesn't mean we don't enjoy modern MMA

Fair enough...

 

[Ez Eric]

Before Anderson beat Marquardt I would have picked Filho. I thought that he would still struggle with strong grapplers like Nate or Filho. He really improved his bottom game with Big Nog. His guard actually looks exactly like Big Nog's. Does all the same things.

Anderson really stepped his game up around 2005/6 and when he beat Hendo he became the greatest MW of all time. That was the biggest MW fight of all time.

Before Silva went on his run I would have picked Filho. Especially in a Pride ring.

But by the time Anderson made it to the UFC around 2006 he had really improved and his counter striking and footwork was better suited for the octagon where he could circle away and stay on his feet. In the Pride ring it was easier to cut him off and take him down.

Filho was a monster though. Could have been top 5 all time at the division if he wouldn't have gone crazy.

 

[Xuh]

if you mean before Anderson won the title, everyone who was around would have picked Filho

but deez TUF nubz will all vote Anderson

 

[MikeyCanFly]

Spider, by the end of 2007 Anderson defended the belt 3 times

 

[TitoDome]

If you said Anderson. You're lying. No one would've picked him back then. filho was regarded as the next super star back then. Anderson wasn't really a huge deal. Obviously they were very wrong. Filho went crazy, and Anderson started killing people in the ring.

 

[KONG-D'SNT-TAP]

Paulo never would have beaten rich Franklin.

 

[Non]

Filho via Ghosts

 

[Forever Young]

If you said Anderson. You're lying. No one would've picked him back then. filho was regarded as the next super star back then. Anderson wasn't really a huge deal. Obviously they were very wrong. Filho went crazy, and Anderson started killing people in the ring.

They're not lying, they just didn't start watching MMA until this year

 

[moreorless87]

Even by 2007 I think Filho was on the downturn personally although equally Chael would likely have been a tough match for him at any point given his wrestling, Filho was good enough to sub him off of his back but his real grappling strength was obviously his top game.

The bad thing for Anderson is that Filho was incredibly tough, Manhoef was absolutely blasting him before he took him down and subbed him.

 

[Significance Deficit]

Filho was shot by the time he got to the WEC.

It would've had to have happened in 2006 or earlier and at that point, Filho would've smashed him. Probably mount to armbar.