Long before Chris Weidman ended Mark Munoz’s number one contender campaign with a devastating counter elbow, the MMA community was already intrigued by the young fighter’s skill set.
After witnessing Munoz’s destruction before our very eyes, we began to collectively salivate at the possibility that has now become reality.
Las Vegas will play host to the most talked about fight of the year when Anderson Silva takes on Weidman this Saturday night at UFC 162.
Let’s take a closer look at this fantastic matchup for the UFC middleweight crown.
Chris Weidman
The most paramount weapon for a fighter in today’s MMA is clearly wrestling and Weidman’s NCAA Division I pedigree may just be the best in the game. His takedowns are on par of former Silva adversary Chael Sonnen – but unlike Sonnen, Weidman’s game doesn’t stop just there. In fact, it almost seems like Weidman is some wild amalgamation of past Silva opponents who had their chance and failed to dethrone the champ with their specific skill set.
Aside from his wrestling, Weidman has displayed fantastic BJJ skills — just ask Tom Lawlor — and an ever-evolving stand up game. Most importantly, what makes Weidman such a threat is that he puts everything together. His unpredictability is what makes this matchup a must see.
In order for Weidman to become the new UFC middleweight champion it’s quite simple — he must take down and control the champion as often as he can. He must setup his takedowns with selective striking and from there he should search for a submission. However, against the decorated BJJ black belt, Silva, that may be easier said than done.
Anderson Silva
Vicious knees.
Matrix-like counter striking.
Suffocating submissions.
The longest reigning champion in UFC history.
We’ve all been a witness for seven years and simply put, Silva is the greatest mixed martial artist we’ve ever seen — precision and brutality all rolled up into one. The 38-year old champion may be closer to the end than the beginning, so you can bet on Saturday night that Silva will be looking to further cement his already legendary legacy with a win over Weidman.
You can also bet that Silva has been training hard to fight the takedown for this bout and we’d imagine that knees would be included in his game plan. If he can catch his opponent early by stuffing a takedown with a knee, Weidman will surely think twice about shooting in. Look for Silva to keep his opponent at the end of his punches to maintain a strong distance and do what he does best — counter striking.
The Bottom Line
According to Bodog, Silva is the favorite (-240) against the very live dog Weidman (+190), and rightfully so. After countless videos surfaced this week of MMA fighters and trainers sharing their picks and opinions on the matchup, it’s easy to see why fight fans across the globe are amped for this one.
Silva hasn’t lost a bout in the UFC but he also has never faced a man like Weidman, hence the 2-1 odds.
With the right game plan and the correct mindset to go along with it, it is very possible that Weidman can walk away with the title. But if this moment turns out to be too big, as it was for those who came before him, Weidman can end up as just another victim to the reign of “The Spider”.
Who are you picking?
Zachary Hutton is the lead boxing writer and an MMA contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can see what he’s up to at his band’s website myunclethewolf.com or also subscribe on Facebook.
