Anderson Silva Vs Forest Griffin

[glassjaw]

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will scrap a UFC 101 bout between former UFC light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and top contender Thiago Silva (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in favor of a Griffin vs. Anderson Silva (24-4 MMA, 9-0 UFC) match-up.

Sources close to the organization today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) a meeting was held last week to discuss the Anderson Silva vs. Griffin bout.

UFC President Dana White has since confirmed with Yahoo! Sports that the fight has been signed.

Anderson Silva, fresh off a heavily criticized title defense over Thales Leites at UFC 97, will now move up a weight class for the non-title fight with Griffin.

Although not officially announced by the organization, UFC 101 takes place Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. The event also features a UFC lightweight title fight between title-holder B.J. Penn and top contender Kenny Florian.

Rumors of the potential Anderson Silva vs. Griffin bout began showing up last week after some cryptic emails were sent to a variety of MMA news outlets. The flames were fanned when seemingly unsubstantiated reports of the rumored fight were posted on a few MMA message boards over the weekend.

Although the fight is now signed, a source close to Thiago Silva told MMAjunkie.com the fighter was unaware his fight with Griffin had been scratched. Even as of this morning, the fighter was apparently under the impression he was still scheduled to fight Griffin at UFC 101.

MMAjunkie.com first reported in March that the UFC had lined up the Thiago Silva vs. Griffin fight, which many considered a bout that would determined the light heavyweight division's No. 1 contender after Quinton Jackson. Jackson is scheduled to fight the winner of a UFC 98 bout between current champ Evans and Lyoto Machida later this summer.

The source isn't sure if Thiago Silva will remain on the UFC 101 card with a new opponent or if he'll be shifted to another event.

As for Anderson Silva, UFC officials wasted no time scheduling him for his next fight. He most recently fought on April 18 as a headliner for UFC 97. He entered the fight as a significant favorite, and though he won a lopsided unanimous-decision victory, Anderson Silva was criticized for what seemed a conservative game plan in which he opted not to follow Leites, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, to the ground.

UFC President Dana White called the fight "embarrassing" and "disappointing," and he openly questioned if Anderson Silva needed another challenge at 205 pounds. The fighter, who picked up a UFC record ninth straight victory with the Leites win, moved up to 205 pounds in July 2008 for a non-title fight with James Irvin, and the Brazilian striker has made no secret of his intentions to move up a weight class again in the future.

The UFC has obliged.



uhhhh wow

[chasingmanhattan]

Should be a really good fight. You can't exactly dance around Forrest Griffin.

[stubby]

I like Forest and all but I think he may get killed on this one imo

[The Wrestling Fan]

Silva only "danced" because the fact is he HAD to he knew like everyone else did that Leites has better gound work... so AVOID what your opponent is good at *GASP*

anyways
Forrest Vs Silva could be INTENSE

[Mike O'Shea]

Silva didn't have to stay on his feet with Leites. Silva is a great striker and it was probably his advantage to stay on his feet and strike with leites but people have to remember he has a back belt in Judo and in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

[Tha O Show]

He didn't have to stay on his feet?
Yes, Silva is a BJJ black belt - but Leites is world class BJJ who submits BJJ blackbelts.

Why would Silva be STUPID and give the guy what he wants. You wanna take the fight to the ground, you shoot in and earn it.

People who bitch out Anderson for that fight, include Dana White, don't know what the hell they're talkin about.

Blame Joe Silva for booking a horrible combination.

Forrest is the polar opposite of Leites. He will stand in and trade.

[glassjaw]

I actually heard Dana say it was both fighters fault. Which I believe it is but it's a lot more Leites fault than it is Silva's. Personally I don't blame either fighter for doing what they did. Gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. Forrest will for sure try to put on a good fight which is why I really respect him.

[Mike O'Shea]

Forrest and Silva's styles will certainly be more of a match.
That is what I said Silva did not have to stay on his feet. It would not have been stupid to go to the ground under the right conditions. Silva has had a judo BB from an early age and also has a BJJ BB. So do you think he is not good enough to have gone to the ground in a guard or get to a side mount and try to ground and pound Leites without getting into trouble?
It certainly was Silva's best approach but he certainly isn't getting enough credit for his ground game.

[Tha O Show]

Ok ...

look at it this way...

You have a gun, I have a sword.
You're really good at sword fighting - although not quite as good as me, but still ... pretty damn good.

But, fuck the swords... you have a fuckin gun.

I'm asking you.... no beggin you.... put the gun down and let's cross swords (in the non gay way).

If you put your gun down, you're a fucking retard.

And Silva didn't cuz he's not.

[Mike O'Shea]

The point I am trying to make is that Silva is not inept on the ground. Leites is a great BJJ guys. Probably one of the best in the world. It is the same way Gracie and Shamrock were at UFC 5.Gracie arguably one of the best BJJ guys at the time went to a guard and Shamrock went into his guard and beat the shit out of him for 35 minutes. Silva could have went to the ground in Leites guard and beat on him for 5 rounds if need be.

[Tha O Show]

HUH?
This is making my brain hurt!

Yes, I GOT your point ... and to illustrate the problem with your point, I gave you the weapon analogy. If you still don't get WHY Anderson did what he did then I can't say anything else.

[Mike O'Shea]

Well as I said I obviously got your point so why are you still trying to explain it? I think Silva went in and did his job to win the fight and keep the belt. End of story. You don't get my point then. Silva could have went to the ground without getting into any real trouble. People make it sound as if as soon as Silva went into Leites guard within a few minutes he would be tapping out becasue he would be that outclassed on the ground. and that is simply not the case.

So their really is no problem with my point becasue it is a fact.