Anderson Silva: Legendary UFC fighter
For a long time, Anderson Silva has held the title of UFC Welterweight Champion, making him the undisputed pound-for-pound best in the sport. In his almost seven-year tenure as UFC welterweight title, Anderson Silva has been more than simply a divisive champion.
The 37-year-old Silva, the sport’s best pound-for-pound combatant since January 2006, has been many things since his last loss in that month. Though MMA is still in its infancy, amazing athletes like “The Spider” lend credence to the idea that the sport will endure.
Take a look at these three ways in which Silva has impacted mixed martial arts.
Yet, Silva’s supremacy in the ring isn’t the only thing that makes him the best fighter in mixed martial arts. The GOAT must possess not just the physical accolades but also the mental fortitude of a great warrior. Let’s examine what it is about Silva that makes him the greatest fighter ever. A fighter has to practice persistently in pursuit of technical excellence across all disciplines in order to become the finest champion of all time.
For “The Spider” martial arts have become a way out of poverty in Brazil.
Silva started practicing on his own with other kids in the neighborhood when he was young, and by the time he was an adult he had earned several martial arts belts and trophies, including in the arts of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, taekwondo, and Muay Thai, and a yellow rope in Capoeira.
Silva’s lengthy reign as champion may be attributed in large part to his wide range of skills,
which includes being a formidable boxer. However, legends aren’t created just by talent and expertise. You can’t be the GOAT without winning. As the current middleweight champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Silva has surely delivered throughout his career.
The UFC has provided talented amateur wrestlers with a path to athletic achievement nearly continuously since the days when Kevin Randleman and Mark Coleman controlled the Octagon as colleagues. Silva was the first UFC competitor to have such a formidable arsenal of striking and submission techniques.
Among Silva’s many innovative moves inside the Octagon are the Hail-Mary triangle
armbar he used to come back and defeat Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 and the sensational front kick KO he scored on Vitor Belfort at UFC 126. Even if traditional grapplers like Georges St. Pierre still dominate the UFC, Silva laid the groundwork for the next generation of technical fighters to dominate the sport with their deft striking and submission techniques.
After all, competitors like José Aldo, Lyoto Machida, and Anthony Pettis wouldn’t have
someone to model themselves after if not for individuals such As the Spider. “The Spider” has held the welterweight crowns of Shooto, Cage Rage, and indeed the UFC, and
he has unified the UFC and Glory straps. He also holds the UFC records for most consecutive victories, most wins, longest time as champion, most title challenges, and most successive defenses.
Silva’s legacy is already remarkable, and it will only become more so as his celebrity and
sponsorship deals gain prominence. Some legends, like as Fedor Emelianenko and Georges St-Pierre, may be named with Silva, but that’s about it. While several fighters have come close to matching Silva’s achievement, and others may try to replicate it in the future, no one in mixed martial arts history has achieved as much as Silva has in his almost 16 years as a professional.
Before entering the UFC, Silva had already defeated many notable competitors. After defeating Chris Leben at Ultimate Fight Night 5, The Spider has unquestionably evolved into the world’s most deadly and efficient mixed martial artist. Silva has won 15 consecutive UFC fights since making his debut, 11 of which were for championships.
During that incredible streak, Silva has only let Demian Maia and Thales Leites
go the distance to a judges decision. Additionally, Silva equaled Joe Lauzon for the most post-fight bonuses in a career with 12 after his TKO of Sonnen at UFC 148. The Spider has also shown his dominance in the light heavyweight category of the UFC, where
he has dominated opponents like James Irvin, Forrest Griffin, and Stephan Bonnar despite their superior size and strength.
Stars like St. Pierre, Jon Jones, and Benson Henderson are on par with Silva and have the
potential to one day challenge the numerous records Silva has established. However, until that time comes, The Spider will remain the most influential fighter in history.
