Muay Thai Match-Up: Anderson Silva vs...

[Ronin74]

Despite Anderson Silva being considered one of the premier strikers in the UFC, I've always wondered how he'd do in a Muay Thai match with the following fighters:

• Andy Hug
• Ernesto Hoost
• Glaube Feitosa
• Remy Bonjasky

Any thoughts?

 

[jarrod]

well first & foremost i think the weight difference would be an issue wouldn't it? silva fights at 205 at his heaviest.

jf

 

[Ronin74]

well first & foremost i think the weight difference would be an issue wouldn't it? silva fights at 205 at his heaviest.

jf

That's true, though I believe in K-1, he'd get lumped in with all the fighters. I haven't actually watched a K-1 event in some time but I believe fighters are either in K-1 or K-1 Max. However, weight does play a role.

Here are their weights and heights- and let's go with Silva fighting at 205 who's 6'2".

• Andy Hug: 216 lbs, 5'11"
• Ernesto Hoost: 238 lbs, 6'2.5"
• Glaube Feitosa: 233 lbs, 6'4"
• Remy Bonjasky: 244 lbs, 6'4"

These guys definitely outweigh him. However, their heights aren't too far off. I'm sure they wouldn't be put in the same ring under normal MT rules, but I'm sure they'd throw Silva in with K-1, as opposed to the Max fighters.

 

[searcher]

If Andy had not passed so early in life, I think he would have been a good match-up with Silva. And most of the time Andy would fight at 205-210 lbs.

I am not a fan of Hoost, but he is pretty good at the striking game.

 

[jarrod]

with that in mind then, i think he'd get smoked. that's just too much weight, especially for striking.

jf

 

[Ronin74]

The thing I'm wondering is if Silva is a great striker in just MMA, or would his striking ability allow him to do well in a Muay Thai match-up. Clearly he hits hard, but where does that compare with fighters who are strictly Muay Thai?

 

[Ronin74]

If Andy had not passed so early in life, I think he would have been a good match-up with Silva. And most of the time Andy would fight at 205-210 lbs.

I am not a fan of Hoost, but he is pretty good at the striking game.

I have to say I did like watching Hoost, but when I think of K-1, I always think about Andy Hug first. Guys like him, Feitosa or even Filho (all fighters who consider their primary art Karate) actually got me thinking any art- properly adapted- could be used in the ring.

 

[jarrod]

The thing I'm wondering is if Silva is a great striker in just MMA, or would his striking ability allow him to do well in a Muay Thai match-up. Clearly he hits hard, but where does that compare with fighters who are strictly Muay Thai?

ah, i see. it's an interesting question. i think another factor is that he is as good as he is at striking while devoting a significant amount of training to bjj as well. if he packed on a bit of weight & trained muay thai full time, i think he could hang in there (not dominate). as is though, i don't think so. but at the end of the day i'm just a guy at a keyboard, so it's hard to say.

jf

 

[searcher]

Check out his stats:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Anderson-Silva-1356


He is not indestructible, but he has never lost to a strike. It would be interesting to see him against MT guys in an event like K-1.

 

[Ronin74]

ah, i see. it's an interesting question. i think another factor is that he is as good as he is at striking while devoting a significant amount of training to bjj as well. if he packed on a bit of weight & trained muay thai full time, i think he could hang in there (not dominate). as is though, i don't think so. but at the end of the day i'm just a guy at a keyboard, so it's hard to say.

jf

Well you do make a good point there. I think a person's attention and focus can only be stretched so far. Even GSP admitted to saying that he wasn't great at one particular aspect of MMA, but he feels he's well rounded in all of them.

 

[Ronin74]

Check out his stats:

http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Anderson-Silva-1356


He is not indestructible, but he has never lost to a strike. It would be interesting to see him against MT guys in an event like K-1.

Definitely not indestructible, but to say he's had that many fights, and held only 4 losses, that's a pretty good record.

I think it would be interesting, though I'd say he'd pose a better challenge if he was strictly an MT fighter.

 

[AoCAdam]

Didn't a recent interview state that Anderson walks around 215-220 when training for his fights before he begins to cut weight.

 

[Ronin74]

Didn't a recent interview state that Anderson walks around 215-220 when training for his fights before he begins to cut weight.

I'm not too sure. I do believe that on UFC All Access, they did mention that he walks around in the 200's, but I'm not sure what the exact # is.