Spider Silva Tries to Crack Strickland’s Shell
Anderson Silva’s greatest enemy in the octagon may have been apathy. While Silva was a great fighter who defended his UFC middleweight crown 10 times over 2,457 days, he also struggled with motivation. Against opponents that appeared to be beneath his level, Silva was known to clown with them or not take them seriously.
This level of relaxation in the cage made Silva a dynamic striker few could figure out. It also left him open to opponents, who finally started catching up to him at the end of his career. Current UFC middleweight Sean Strickland is a considerably better defensive fighter.
Strickland likes to stay in a defensive shell, pressure his opponent, and work behind his jab. While Strickland’s fights aren’t always interesting to watch, as Strickland doesn’t deviate from his style to try and earn a stoppage, his style makes him a complicated puzzle to solve.
MMA breaking news shows Strickland is yet to defend his title, but he would need some serious luck to have a successful run like Silva’s.
Silva Built His Reputation Outside UFC
While Silva is now known as a UFC legend, he didn’t earn his first fight in the promotion until 22 fights into his mixed martial arts career. Silva, a native of Brazil, built his reputation in Pride. When Silva arrived in the UFC to fight Chris Leben in June 2006, he was ready for the big stage.
Immediately placed in a middleweight title eliminator, Silva would knock Leben out 49 seconds into the first round with a knee. Immediately after that fight, the world learned how good Silva was. The win over Leben started a 16-fight winning streak inside the UFC.
In Silvan’s next bout, he knocked out Rich Franklin less than three minutes into the first round to claim the middleweight crown. While Silva was dominant for much of his run, his willingness to taunt opponents instead of seeking a finish frustrated UFC CEO Dana White. During a fight against Demian Maia at UFC 112 in April 202, Silva circled the octagon for most of the fight while taunting Maia.
White was so disgusted he refused to wrap the belt around Silva’s waist after the win, according to MMA news websites.
Weidman Catches the Champion Clowning
Journeyman Chael Sonnen was the first fighter to put a dent in the Silva myth. During the first fight between the men at UFC 117 in August 2010, Sonnen dominated the fight for five rounds utilizing his intense wrestling. Only Sonnen’s hubris, still pursuing ground and pound in the fifth round despite being ahead on the cards, sunk him.
Sonnen got caught in a triangle armbar in the fifth round, and Silva survived. Another American wrestler would finally end Silva’s streak. Silva was mocking Chris Weidman’s punches in the second round. While Silva stood weaving with his hands behind his back, Weidman caught him with a hook that dropped him.
Weidman would win the rematch by breaking Silva’s leg by checking a leg kick. It kicked off a rough run of fights to end Silva’s career. After the second Weidman loss, Silva had his win over Nick Diaz overturned due to a failed drug test. Silva then closed his career by losing five of his last six fights to finish with a 34-11 record. That slide hasn’t impacted his view in the eyes of many MMA observers.
Strickland Was Destined for Strong Career
Coming up through the ranks didn’t prove to be too much of an issue for Strickland. The American striker won his first 15 fights, including his first two fights in the UFC. Strickland’s first loss came to Santiago Ponzinibbio in February 2015. He remained active in the UFC over the next few years, extending his record to 20-3 following a rare TKO win over Nordine Taleb in October 2018.
However, Strickland’s career would come to a sudden halt. Strickland was on his way home from sparring on his motorcycle and had a van pull out in front of him. When Strickland went to avoid the van, he was thrown from his bike and ended up waking up in the hospital. The carnage was so nasty, some of Strickland’s kneecap was on the road.
Strickland would be out of the octagon for two years, according to the best MMA news sites.
Answering the Call Led to a Title
Strickland’s return to the octagon was a successful one. While there were concerns about ring rust, Strickland’s dedication to sparring shows that he could stay in shape while working back to the octagon. After returning, Strickland ran off a five-fight winning streak before fighting with phenom Alex Pereira.
Pereira knocked Strickland out in the first round. It was the start of a short slide for Strickland, who lost his next fight to Jared Cannonier in a split decision. While Strickland rebounded with two straight wins, not many people regarded him as a serious challenger to Israel Adesanya’s throne.
When Dricus du Plessis declined a chance to fight Adesanya for the title at UFC 293, Strickland stepped in. In a shocking result, Strickland beat Adesanya from wire-to-wire. Strickland stayed in his shell, and Adesanya never found a way to land clean strikes.
Silva and Strickland Would Be Battle of Styles
Silva was like an artist. His striking was dynamic, and he cut a physically imposing figure. Silva’s long reign over the middleweight division was in large part due to his unpredictable nature. That’s not how Strickland does business.
Strickland is a cut-and-dried fighter. What you see with Strickland is what you get. He likes to walk down his opponents and work behind his jab. Staying in a defensive shell allows Strickland to deflect punches more easily and not take as much punishment.
If Silva was motivated and engaged, he could stop any opponent. But it’s easy to see Silva taking Strickland lightly. Strickland’s personality is on the absurd side, and he has made a career out of trying to mess with his opponents. This is a fight that Silva should win, but it’s hard to say Strickland wouldn’t be able to impose his strategy on Silva, who sometimes had a habit of being willing to circle and taunt his opponents.
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