Silva vs Maia (Short version)

[MattJ]

I don't think it's accurate for you to cherry-pick 1 round out of the fight. I could just as easily focus on the first round and show you Silva blasting Maia, unanswered, ("where's your jujitsu now, playboy?") over and over. If you look at the fight as a whole, I think you will see what I'm talking about.

If you're asking me to answer why didn't Silva finish Maia, I can't answer that. I'm not Silva, I'm only speculating.

Watch the whole fight, not just the last round. Otherwise, we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[tellner]

There's a difference between fighting well and putting on a good show. Silva absolutely controlled the action. He was able to control it and made Maia fight his fight. What he didn't do was provide good entertainment that gave the paying customers the grunt and pounding they pay to see.

He hit the other guy without getting hit himself. He hit him a lot. He dominated the action, and there's no doubt he won according to the rules of the game. And as always he did it with a smile on his face. Silva is really good at the mental game and screwing with an opponent, not playing by the rules. He's an emotionally sneaky bastard and leaves the other guy off balance. Some people don't like that. I happen to like it and admire any craftsman who can use neglected tools effectively and creatively.

But to the extent that this is about giving the audience what they want he lost. MMA isn't professional wrestling. But a good part of it is about pageantry and providing a very specific experience. Silva doesn't always give the customers what they are looking for. He's very good at winning matches. But he doesn't do it in a way which consistently sets the emotional roller coaster running on its rails. And a lot of people here feel cheated by that.

 

[tellner]

That said, I'd like to see Silva in a fight which really stretches him. So far he hasn't come up against anyone who's good enough to make him work hard. It would be something to see, well worth the price of the ticket.

 

[MattJ]

I agree. I think Silva is so unchallenged, that he just won't bring it until he has to. I would love to see him up against GSP. Later against Jon Jones, when JJ is ready, and then put him against Lesnar (assuming Lesnar gets past Carwin).

 

[SensibleManiac]

From my previous post:

I could be alot faster than you, (AS AN EXAMPLE) so I can hit you at will because of my speed making you look bad, but because I am afraid of getting caught by you, be it a punch or clinch, I spend all my time hitting and running and then when I tire I no longer (willfully) run but am forced to because I'm getting tired and can no longer show off but will definitely lose I if I don't run. Then that is not a champion level fighter but HYPE.



His skill was not enough to win the fight but to show off for a while, that not skilled enough. He couldn't truly compete against Maia at a championship level. He had to run away in the later rounds, he didn't have a choice he would have lost if he didn't. He might have beaten Maia if it was a 3 round fight but at a championship level 5 rounds, Silva didn't have what it takes and barely walked away with a decision.

I don't think Maia has anything to be embarassed about, he was hit by a superior striker but that's it. That superior striker was too scared to keep fighting him in the later rounds. I don't think Maia has anything to be embarrassed about and Silva should be the one embarassed, after all he was warned for running away and not fighting.
If Maia would have done the same you would have had two fighters running away from each other. But Maia stuck in there and actually outstruck the superior striker in the later rounds.

Again I'm not cherry picking just stating the facts about the last round where Silva could no longer compete therefore chose to run.

We can agree to disagree, but regardless of the fact that Silva has great skills, I think we all agree that he's more about showing off and less about the substance of his skill.
He's a phenomenal striker with great attributes like speed, timing and accuracy.

Beyond that he's also a black belt in BJJ, although Demian is a second degree black belt and that makes a difference. So I could understand why Silva was scared of him on the ground but for all his superior stand up, why be afraid on the feet?

Either way I agree with you that Jon Jones with a bit more work and experience will prove a formidable opponent for Silva. Especially if Jones can continue on without getting beaten or knocked out, I think his confidence will only increase and this will make him more dangerous.

He will be a great opponent for Silva, who has the potential for putting an end to his hype by making Silva fight for real or get KO'd.