Wanderlei Silva's Storied MMA Career Appears To Be Drawing To A Close Heading Into UFC 132
When Wanderlei Silva was competing in PRIDE, he was one of the most dangerous fighters in the world. He compiled a 19-fight unbeaten streak in the defunct mixed martial arts organization. But that was from 1999-2004.
Silva has looked like a shell of his once great self over his last seven fights. He has compiled a record of 2-5 since September 2006. The losses have been to some of the best fighters in the history of the sport (Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Mirko Cro Cop and Quinton Jackson) with the fifth loss coming against Rich Franklin.
He hasn’t fought since February 2010 when he defeated Michael Bisping at UFC 110 because of a knee injury that required surgery. That was his first fight at 185 pounds and the weight cut seemed to serve him well.
Silva’s heart doesn’t really seem to be in the sport anymore. He is 34 years old and seems to only want to take fights that he knows he will win. He doesn’t want to challenge himself as a fighter anymore for whatever reason.
In fact, he talked his way out of fighting Brian Stann at UFC 130 because his ego is so fragile that he assumed Stann, a former U.S. Marine, would be the fan favorite on Memorial Day weekend.
Chris Leben is an interesting challenge for Silva at UFC 132, but it’s a fight that Silva knows he at least has a shot to win because of Leben’s inconsistencies in the octagon. Both guys have knockout power, but neither is in the prime of their respective career.
When you look at what Silva has become since the end of PRIDE, it's sad. He stays away from fights against guys who will be cheered more than he is, which seriously limits his opponent pool.
He isn't the knockout artist that he once was, and the writing seems to be on the wall.
I know that he was a big part of what made PRIDE so great back in its day, but this is 2011, and you can't run a business based on what happened in the past.
The end is coming for Silva very, very soon. With a loss at UFC 132, it will arrive sooner than he may want it to.
But if you are going to pick and choose who you fight based on how much people like them and want to cheer them, you are doing a disservice to the product.
Couple that with the fact that he isn't winning much anymore and we are witnessing the last precious moments for "The Axe Murderer" in mixed martial arts.
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