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For the longest time I’ve felt Anderson Silva is the number 1, pound-for-pound fighter on the planet when we talk about the sport of mixed martial arts. For me, that has changed recently and it all culminated at UFC 100 with a far-too-dominant Georges St. Pierre win over Thiago Alves. It now seems 100% obvious to me that the pride of Quebec is the world’s best fighter.
What always did it for me with Silva was the sheer violence and devestation he’d wreak inside The Octagon. Wins over Rich Franklin and Chris Leben strike fear into me when you see this dude. But that violence, that edge, and that killer instinct have all been sorely lacking in his last 2 fights. Please don’t get me wrong. The UFC Middleweight Champion is still one of the best in the world, and is the class of his weight class right now…that point is not up for debate. But lets be honest. No one has been impressed with the last 2 fights for Silva…lackluster wins over Patrick Cote and Thales Leites. Silva did not engage nor did he dominate in either fight; in fact, both times he seemed bored and stayed on the perimiter. Maybe that shows just how superior he is to the men he’s fighting…but you certainly wonder where his focus is.
That question can’t be asked when we talk about Canada’s Georges St. Pierre. He’s perhaps the most focused human being in the world when he’s preparing for a fight. And that shows (all too well for his opponents) when he steps into The Octagon on Saturday nights. Currently riding a 6 fight win streak, GSP has not been threatened once in those 6 fights…not even for a second, not even for a round. From a dominating win over Josh Koscheck to his dismantling of Matt Hughes and his most recent wins over BJ Penn and Thiago Alves, St. Pierre has been so far and away superior. In those 6 fights, he’s been on his back twice (TWICE!)…and not for more than a smattering of seconds on both occasions. He’s won by decision, he’s won by submission, and he’s won by TKO. Not one of these world class athletes have given him a test.
And THAT’s why I have the opinion that he really is the best in the world. The UFC’s 170 pound division is one of, if not the, most stacked division going. From great young talent to unbelievable established fighters, there is always a fight to look forward to at 170. Kampmann, Swick, Fitch, Alves, Shields and Condit all reside here and there are so many that you can see yourself saying “they belong near the top of this division.” But that’s about all you can say, because the gap from the really good welterweights to the best welterweight is massive.
To me, that’s what sells me on this pound-for-pound discussion. I don’t see any other division with a gap as wide as the one being seen at 170 pounds. To me, the “really good” crew at 170 is comparable to that of 155 and 205 pounds, without question the 2 other top weight classes. Yet, the gap is nowhere near as big. Can we see Kenny Florian upsetting BJ Penn at UFC 101? Yeah…I can. What about Rampage taking out Machida? Yeah…maybe. But Kampann or Swick beating St. Pierre? Are you kidding me? Not gonna happen…and remember, Georges has already beat the rest of the top guys, some of them twice! It’s the gap and real lack of any competition that wins the argument for me.
And the best part is? We may not have to wait that long to really have a Silva or St. Pierre argument settled for real…inside The Octagon. There is a real possibility that the 2 of them could go toe-to-toe in the next 8 or 12 months. Silva fights Forrest Griffin coming up at 101 while St. Pierre has his next opponent waiting on a number 1 contender fight. After that…let’s keep our fingers crossed, cause I don’t know any fan in the world who wouldn’t want to see Silva and St. Pierre really tell us who the pound-for-pound best is.
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I think the issues for GSP in a fight with Silva would be two-fold: 1)how would the necessary increase in weight affect George’s speed & conditioning? and 2)how does “Rush” deal with Silva’s longer, stronger frame? Anderson has already demonstrated his ability to defend/catch kicks and I think George would not be able to take Silva to the ground with ease, as he has with so many others. George is still my guy, pound-for-pound, but this would easily be the test of his career. And I don’t think there would be any worries about Silva getting up for this fight – can’t wait for this one…
PS: I don’t think there is any debate that a fight with Silva would be the hardest of Georges’s career. I wouldn’t be as worried about the weight increase, because Georges is as fit as anyone else is in the world and would go about it the right way. It’s the other aspects you mention that would worry me. Now, I will say this… Dan Henderson was able to take Silva to the ground BUT he’s a much bigger man than GSP is. I’ll tell you this much; it certainly is a very intrigiuing main event!
- TIM O'NEILThe pound for pound debate can probably be decided down to a tee with the upcoming Anderson Silva-Forrest Griffen fight. Forrest Griffen presents a unique challenge for Anderson Silva, and we can almost gurantee that Forrest is not going to back down or be intimidated by Silva.
At the moment I do agree with you, but with a win over Forrest Griffen, Anderson Silva will establish himself as the most dominant fighter in two different weight classes, something GSP has yet to do.
PS: Agree 100% with everything you said Jordan, well said. You’re right, if Silva wins on Saturday he’s won 2 fights at 205 and has established himself as elite in 2 seperate divisions. I guess that’s where the GSP-Anderson fight comes into play! As for Silva-Griffin, man…Forrest is going to be tough, but I don’t know if he can withstand what I believe will be a highly aggressive Silva.
- Jordan PWhen it comes right down to it, it doesn’t matter who wins between Swick and Kampmann; neither are in the league of GSP. As far as the GSP – Silva fight, the UFC may not have a choice but to put them against each other. The simple fact is both GSP and Silva are running through their division like a hot knife through butter, and oth of these fighters will need to be challenged. Anderson Silva MAY get his first real challenge in the form of Forrest Griffin, for no other reason then Griffin has no fear; in his own words, he’s just a dog who loves to fight. Where does that leave GSP? Neither Swick nor Kampmann pose a threat to him, and Dana White and ZUFFA management may have to look at a GSP vs Silva fight to create a new interest with fans. Having said that, if Silva were to lose to Griffin, then all bets are off. Another quick thought, what about the potential to have Cro Cop drop to light-heavyweight? Mirko is small for a heavyweight and in all honesty, stands no chance against Lesnar, so why not have him drop to 205, win a couple of fights and have him challenge Machida?
PS: You’re bang on Blaine…I think the UFC is going to be forced into booking GSP-Silva, because if they don’t, they risk losing interest in 2 seperate weight classes (maybe 3 if Silva wins on Saturday). As for Cro-Cop, I’ve always wondered if 205 is a better spot for him in the UFC…I don’t see him being able to beat Brock, as he doesn’t have a ground game and wouldn’t be able to match his strength or come close to it.
- Blaine