Post UFC 134 , the much anticipated super fight between
Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Georges “Rush” St-Pierre has once more become a
popular topic of conversation. The powers that be in the UFC have even let slip
that they are considering it. While there are always flip sides to any decision
taken, here are 5 reasons why the UFC should schedule Silva versus GSP.
Lack of other prospective fights
Anderson Silva has so thoroughly dominated the UFC
Middleweight division, that the only contenders left for him are fighters he
has already bested. Sure I would watch Silva – Sonnen 2, or even Silva –
Henderson 2, but they lack the appeal of a major title fight. If Silva wins,
it’s more of the same, and there is very little to suggest that he wouldn’t do
just that.
Concurrently, GSP has cleaned out the UFC Welterweight
division, forcing the UFC to bring in opponents from other organisations as
lambs to the slaughter. Should GSP defeat Diaz at UFC 137, he too will be
drawing his future opponents from his list of recently defeated foes.
Both fighters have got the UFC marketers working overtime to
create a belief that they are fallible, especially when the opponents set in
front of them have already been toppled under their regime. This does not make
for blockbuster events.
Stylistically the fight makes sense
The fighters have the perfect styles to keep the result up
in the air. While both men are complete, well-rounded mixed martial artists,
they have strengths in different areas. Will GSP be able to use his superior
wrestling to take Silva out of his element? Will Silva’s crazy striking
overcome GSP’s methodical approach? The questions are endless, and leading up
to a title fight, questions are good. They create interest, they create hype
and ultimately, they put bums in seats.
Improved fighter marketability
A big concern has always been whether the UFC is sacrificing
a champion by taking this fight. Will the loser yield his marketability? I do
not think so. Assuming GSP moves up in weight to fight, let’s look at the
possible outcomes.
GSP defeats Silva to become Middleweight Champion
Fantastic, we now have a new Middleweight champion, who can
prove himself against a whole hoard of challengers in the middleweight
division, enter Sonnen, Henderson, Maia, Okami... and every other fighter Silva
has defeated. Silva, who is nearing the end of his career, has the option to
take on the rematch fights afforded to him already (Sonnen / Hendo) or to move
up and campaign for the Light Heavyweight title, opening up a huge array of
fights in a division he has shown some comfort in already.
Silva defeats GSP to retain his Middleweight crown
With Silva’s legacy intact, this opens up possibilities for
yet another super fight with Light heavyweight Kingpin Jon “Bones” Jones, or
whoever else the champion may be at the time. Bearing in mind that Silva has
always said he aims to retire soon, getting two super fights out of the legend
would be well worth the UFC’s time, and a great send off for one of the sports
finest. GSP would have the option to stay at Middleweight and campaign against
all the previously mentioned fighters, or to drop back down to welterweight, having
been shown to be human. This will make his fights more marketable than his
current legacy does.
Regardless of the result, the loser is afforded the rare
chance of a comeback, and both being likeable, respected athletes, the fans
will rally behind their fallen champion. There is also always the possibility
of a rematch.
Promotes the UFC Brand
Boxing has often come under fire for not pitting prime
fighters against each other in fights that the public demands, most recently
with Floyd Mayweather Jr and Manny Pacquaio. The UFC has always been perceived
as an organisation which gives the public the fights they want, pitting the
best fighters against each other wherever possible. A well timed super fight,
could attract many fight fans which boxing has failed to impress of late, thus
promoting the UFC and MMA, and solidifying the sport in the hearts of fans
around the globe.
The sheer spectacle
The UFC has taken some giant leaps of late, firstly setting
attendance records with UFC 129 in Toronto and more recently enjoying huge
success at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro . This fight, however, has the ability to
obliterate all records, not only by allowing the world’s best to square off against
each other, but coincidentally two fanatical MMA nations as well. The list of
possibilities are endless, and done properly, this could be one of the greatest
sporting events in history.
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1 comments:
The biggest pay-per-view & payout to fighters also in MMA history!
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