Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin

This was a great match-up put together by the UFC. On the one hand you’ve got Anderson Silva, a guy who loves to hit people. On the other you’ve got Forrest Griffin, somebody who doesn’t mind getting beat up. Truly, this is a match made in heaven.

Think about the contrast between Thales Leites and Forrest Griffin. Leites put on a cowardly performance against Silva. When things got tough he opted to fall to the mat like there was an earthquake drill going on. Forrest is somebody who fights better when things get messy.

It should be noted that Griffin has improved a lot since he traded homerun swings with Stephan Bonnar many years ago. He’s learned to hit and move. That’s a good thing too because you don’t want to be around when Silva hits you back. And boy does that guy love to counter punch.

That was the big problem with the Leites fight – Anderson didn’t want to be the one to engage. Therefore, he deserved as much credit for the fights boredom as his opponent did. It could also be that Anderson was paranoid about losing to someone unworthy of being in the cage with him.

Well, Forrest Griffin damn sure deserves this fight. Many people are hoping he’ll be the one to defeat Silva. You couldn’t have picked a more likable guy to receive the honor. However if Silva wins, he’ll gain a lot of respect for handling one of the best (and biggest) guys in the light heavyweight division. Silva will be able to pick and choose what matches he wants at 185 or 205 to finish off his UFC career.

Despite the size difference, Anderson Silva is the favorite to win this contest. Yes, Forrest can use height and leverage to control the fight. At least that’s what he should try to do. Dan Henderson used wrestling effectively in the one losing round of Silva’s UFC career. The problem is that Anderson has more knockout power than Forrest. Despite his large stature, Forrest has limited punching power. Also worrisome is the fact that he’s suffered several knockouts in his UFC career. He might be halfway to having Chuck Liddell syndrome. That stands in stark contrast to Silva’s chin, which hasn’t even been scratched.

We can all hope that Forrest will use his patented leg kicks. He may even get a takedown – it’ll count for a lot in a 3 round fight. However it’s quite possible that Silva will land a devastating strike in the 15 minutes he’s got to work with. Anderson probably won’t apply the muay thai clinch to his taller opponent. After all, he won’t need to. He can hit someone from a distance and do tons of damage.

We should also remember that even if Forrest does get on top, Anderson has an underrated guard. He’s submitted people from his back before. Griffin is in trouble wherever the fight goes.

Perhaps the most ingenious aspect of this match is the fact that people like Forrest Griffin more when he loses. After this Saturday, he may be the most popular fighter in the UFC.

Next Fight: Amir Sadollah vs. Johny Hendricks

Return to Upcoming Fights