As time goes on it’s becoming more and more apparent that Anderson Silva is one thing—bored. And this isn’t because the UFC hasn’t given him strong competitors; it’s because he’s just that good. While this doesn’t justify his mocking, ridiculous antics, it should be sending a clear message to UFC brass that Anderson needs to be pitted against someone who is more than just a worthy competitor; he needs to face someone who can actually put him in danger of losing in a devastating fashion.
Having cleaned out the entire middleweight division, it’s obvious that Anderson needs to move up at least one weight class in order to encounter the type of stiff competition that will force him to be engaged in the fight. In no particular order, here are five interesting matchups that could potentially spell trouble for Anderson and create a fight that would be finally worthy of being the main event.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson—This is a man who will not be scared of Anderson Silva. He will talk the talk and walk the walk. Rampage will have no problem jumping into the pocket and exchanging with Anderson—something that most of his prior opponents have been too timid to do. Regardless of the outcome, Rampage will bring the fight to Silva until one of them ends up on the canvas.
Jon “Bones” Jones—While he may be a younger fighter, he’s shown great potential and has an unorthodox, aggressive style that could prove to be difficult for Silva to handle. Add in the fact that he’s a fairly big light heavyweight, and you’ve got the makings of a very interesting bout.
Cheick Kongo—His extra size and striking prowess have the potential to put Silva in places that he’s never been before, forcing him to draw on his reservoir of talent. In this fight, Silva wouldn’t be allowed to take chances and risk getting hit with Kongo’s heavyweight power.
Cain Velasquez—A consummate grappler who could take advantage of Silva’s biggest weakness—his ground game and takedown defense. Cain shares a similar game plan with Dan Henderson, the only man in UFC history to ever win a round against Silva, but has heavyweight power to back it up. Cain’s durability combined with his powerful striking and devastating ground-and-pound could be just what Silva needs to reignite his competitive spirit.
Georges St-Pierre—A matchup between these two would create a superfight of epic proportions. Fight fans have been talking about this one for years, and now that Silva claims that he can cut down to 170 there is really nothing but red tape stopping this fight from happening. St-Pierre is the total package, has arguably the best wrestling in MMA, and an ability to nearly match Silva skill-for-skill. This is the fight true fans dream about, and it could be one of the best bouts in MMA history.
With Silva’s contract recently renewed for another eight fights, there are plenty of opportunities for the UFC to make exciting bouts. The question is—will they wise up and put Silva against someone who can win in a devastating, controlling fashion, or will we see more of the bored, taunting charade that we’ve unfortunately grown accustomed to?
Tags: Anderson Silva, Light Heavyweight, Middleweight, UFC
