[Conan]

GSP is a beast with good striking and a phenominal ground game but Silva is fast and is very good avoiding being hit as well as being a real threat with his bjj skills what does the rest of SBR think?

[RaiderNation MMA]

i think gsp is gonna chael sonnen silva and just avoid the submisson. fat chance he stands with him, but if he does silva will wreck him. still leaning towards gsp tho, although im cherring for ando

[Alt75]

I'm not really a big fan of Anderson (I was hoping Maia and Vitor would beat him). I think this will be a mismatch along the lines of Irvin/Griffin, Silva's height, reach and power will be too much for GSP. If GSP does manage to take him down and GSP tries to stall in his guard Anderson will just elbow him until he gives up a triangle or is a bloody mess. This fight is most likely only going to put an unnecessary loss on GSP's career.

Anderson should be moving up and taking on Shogun, Rampage or Rashad.

[jin2daj]

i agree that anderson should be moving up but i think this is more about GSP than about anderson.

GSP is moving up to take on anderson. anderson is just defending his title against the next number 1 contender.

[jin2daj]

the matchup itself is pretty intriguing. can GSP survive getting tagged by someone taller, stronger, and more accurate (than anyone he's ever faced before) while shooting for that TD? if he can survive getting tagged twice on his way in.....

well thats the question that determines this entire fight IMO.

[FindTheLock]

GSP is used to fighting midgets. Silva will wreck him quickly. It will be domination.

[FlashinLeather]

Not worth it to tie up money until they can announce it officially, yesterday dana said that winner of fitch penn will get a title shot, but didn't say when that would be.

[Pabinator]

Id rather see Silva fight at 205 than see him fight a smaller guy

[Conan]

it will be interesting to watch GSP is used to being bigger than his opponents but maby he will do some bulking and will handle it. I do like the Champ vs Champ idea as they are certenly both completly domminating in there respective weight classes.

[kiefynugs]

I doubt GSP will try and get into a reckless brawl with anderson. That said, I don't think he has the tools to stand with him for a round so we'll just have to see what silva can do about those TDs. Its not like the chael fight where chael was bum rushing and actually landing shots in the standup... At least I'd be surprised if GSP did that.

[Buddy Huggs]

There is no place this fight goes where GSP can win. Everyone seems to forget that anderson had a rib injury vs chael, I for one think he showed the difference in his agility both standing and ground in the fight with Vitor (short lived as it was). Don't forget that length applies on the ground as well. Anderson's stall tactics when he gets taken down are well known - immediate body triangle then an over/under body lock so they cant posture out... followed by a stand up. I think as good as GSP's jits game has gotten he will be even EASIER to body triangle due to the size difference between them. Standing, the only thing that I have to question is some of the comments Freddy Roach has made regarding 'holes' in Andersons striking and being able to show GSP how to capitalize. Well, I'm sorry but i just don't buy George bobbing and weaving his way to a crisp left hook, he will get kicked a bunch if he tries to stay outside, and getting takedowns from the clinch is just something you don't do against Anderson. I think everybody has been afraid to try that since watching both Rich KO's. Lastly, I believe Anderson will hold a mental advantage.

Wow long first post huh?

[99Boxster]

-Reposting for those who haven't read ddream1's thread

ok all stats aside because in this fight they do not seem to add up. here's my opinion;

we all know gsp has the wrestling and takedowns. his TD's are legendary and my stats indicate he nails them at will versus silva's TD defence. however when i calculate silva's reach, size, counter production and overall accuracy it pretty much evens it out, HOWEVER i cannot let go that GSP generates such easy TD's because he shows his opponents to versions. a stand-up and a ground game. his all around skill and shoot pushes guys into defence striking. against silva his lack of power and size and his overall arregression(i mean pace) places him in extreme danger as silva is a great counter striker with huge reach advantages.

if silva pushes forward GSP then has a chance to put silva down as i feel he cannot this time around generate TD's from his stand up of pushing forward or jabbing or kicking or soperman punching etc. so again if silva puches forward GSP will have to in my opinion be willing to take a beating in the pocket(eat a few strikes) to get it down alla randy couture or c.sonnen. i just don't feel GSP has that in his make-up. he will always be hit first in any situtation and for me thats the difference. plus if he gets it down i'm not convinced silva cannot jump right back up as the weight difference is huge. plus if he moutns silva nothing indicates to me as all stats show silva can defend well in the guard and GSP's mount strikes and finishes are not the greatest.

on paper it just seems GSP has only one way to win where in the past GSP always had many ways to win. silva on the other hand i feel gets another opportunity to sit back and counter, gets another chance to fight his fight, will GSP get his chance? maybe but i feel silva gets it 1st and more often, especially since silva KO's fighters and GSP jst lacks the power to pose any threat at all on his feet.

[RaiderNation MMA]

gsp has always been takin out bigger dudes tho....like alves.

[bogbat]

gsp has always been takin out bigger dudes tho....like alves.

Alves has more muscle mass but he has a shorter reach than GSP.

[Poppa Catfish]

Winning is the best form of deodorant. Silva has an impressive win and all of the question marks about his health and age and imperfections as a fighter magically vanish.

Fighters seem to age in dog years, and yet you think potentially another 6-8 months (at the very least) is going to treat the aging Spider well?

All the signs are there, poor performances against Cote and Leites, getting in trouble against Maia's stand up, and getting pummeled by the good but awfully vulnerable Sonnen. Sure they gave him a few nice fights to look great in with Griffin and Belfort, but I think a person can connect the dots. GSP is starting to come into his own and will have a solid game plan, I doubt very much he will play into the counter striker.

I personally would go with the hungrier fighter in better form.

[Vaughany]

Winning is the best form of deodorant. Silva has an impressive win and all of the question marks about his health and age and imperfections as a fighter magically vanish.

Fighters seem to age in dog years, and yet you think potentially another 6-8 months (at the very least) is going to treat the aging Spider well?

All the signs are there, poor performances against Cote and Leites, getting in trouble against Maia's stand up, and getting pummeled by the good but awfully vulnerable Sonnen. Sure they gave him a few nice fights to look great in with Griffin and Belfort, but I think a person can connect the dots. GSP is starting to come into his own and will have a solid game plan, I doubt very much he will play into the counter striker.

I personally would go with the hungrier fighter in better form.

(but by decision)!

[Poppa Catfish]

I know why people want to see this fight, but I think we are all going to regret it after it all plays out. Silva will not engage, and GSP will not get away from his game plan.

Hopefully when Dana says he is looking to make certain marque fights 5 rounders, he is not talking about this one. I see GSP scoring points and Spider dancing and trying to goad GSP into a brawl. I just don't see GSP every engaging in one of those, but I would be happy here to eat my words.

[Poppa Catfish]

(but by decision)!

I'm shocked, shocked I say, to find you working the prop angle.


Let me guess what position you played in rugby.....

[kiefynugs]

I know why people want to see this fight, but I think we are all going to regret it after it all plays out. Silva will not engage, and GSP will not get away from his game plan.

Hopefully when Dana says he is looking to make certain marque fights 5 rounders, he is not talking about this one. I see GSP scoring points and Spider dancing and trying to goad GSP into a brawl. I just don't see GSP every engaging in one of those, but I would be happy here to eat my words.

??? I dont understand what you mean here. This is a MW title fight, is it not? Guaranteed 5 rounds.

[Poppa Catfish]

??? I dont understand what you mean here. This is a MW title fight, is it not? Guaranteed 5 rounds.

Catch weight my friend, at least that is what is Silva said.

[kiefynugs]

Catch weight my friend, at least that is what is Silva said.

oh wow. That really screws the bookies' pooch doesn't it?

[Poppa Catfish]

oh wow. That really screws the bookies' pooch doesn't it?

Putting up a fantasy match up before anything is agreed upon seems like a very strange thing to do, not surprising that they would get screwed over this. We don't know when, at what weight, how many rounds, and in what condition both fighters will be in. Nothing about this fight is set in stone. Bodog's only condition is for the fight to happen sometime in this calendar year.

[kiefynugs]

Putting up a fantasy match up before anything is agreed upon seems like a very strange thing to do, not surprising that they would get screwed over this. We don't know when, at what weight, how many rounds, and in what condition both fighters will be in. Nothing about this fight is set in stone. Bodog's only condition is for the fight to happen sometime in this calendar year.

Well you have to assume that gsp has been preparing for silva for years over at the jackson camp. This fight has been on the media's eye at least since GSP's last fight with Penn and especially after Silva's highly controversial fight with Sonnen.

The lower the weight, the better GSP's chances, but I still put him in the + range even at an even catch weight.

Either way I would never load up on Silva for this one.

[Poppa Catfish]

Well you have to assume that gsp has been preparing for silva for years over at the jackson camp. This fight has been on the media's eye at least since GSP's last fight with Penn and especially after Silva's highly controversial fight with Sonnen.

The lower the weight, the better GSP's chances, but I still put him in the + range even at an even catch weight.

Either way I would never load up on Silva for this one.

I think you are dead on right, I don't think GSP was just in the mood for experimentation when he had Roach come in to work on his boxing, and no I don't think it was to throw a curve ball at Kos (he probably could have just repeated the first fight). I think he is moving around pawns for future fights years ahead of him.

As for the betting portion of your comment, I will eat up GSP at positive value all day every day.

[kiefynugs]

I think you are dead on right, I don't think GSP was just in the mood for experimentation when he had Roach come in to work on his boxing, and no I don't think it was to throw a curve ball at Kos (he probably could have just repeated the first fight). I think he is moving around pawns for future fights years ahead of him.

As for the betting portion of your comment, I will eat up GSP at positive value all day every day.

I love it. Same logic different conclusions. This is one fight I can't see myself betting on. Silva by KO will be eaten alive and GSP by decision has been dead for years. Silva sub at +300 or more and I will bet it. Either that, or we'll check out the general decision prop.

For the record, I think Silva will knock him the fu*k out

[Poppa Catfish]

I love it. Same logic different conclusions. This is one fight I can't see myself betting on. Silva by KO will be eaten alive and GSP by decision has been dead for years. Silva sub at +300 or more and I will bet it. Either that, or we'll check out the general decision prop.

For the record, I think Silva will knock him the fu*k out

Dead for years? It was +190 in the Kos fight, because people ate up the hype about him wanting to finish Josh. The fight completing the 4th round was even money too. Maybe that was just a fluke but I can see the public easily getting brainwashed again somewhere down the road.

[kiefynugs]

Man if it was anywhere near +190 on bookmaker i would've hit it but I don't remember such nonsense

[Buddy Huggs]

Are we all talking about the same fighters? In looking at Silva's last few fights, it would seem even more likely he wins. If Demian Maia can't get him down (the same Maia that took Sonnen down right away) there is no way George is going to. Look at the actual techniques and not the records. Georges likes to come in from far away, whether its a jab, leg kick (you know the fake superman to leg kick he loves so much) or shot for takedown. If you're wondering what will happen when he does that, look up Andy's fight against Carlos Newton. Yeah, Freddy Roach could probably show him a few boxing techniques for this fight, but will GSP utilize them? Doubtful. Hanging in the pocket against Andy gets your legs kicked out and your face kneed in.

My biggest reasoning for being confident in Andy is his own confidence in this fight, and Georges lack thereof. Whereas Andy has said he would move down to fight Georges, GSP has been wishy washy about this fight for years.

I'm trying not to repeat myself here, but can we discuss for a moment what would happen if GSP gained top position? Lets all take a look at the first round of Hendo v Silva. Yes, dan took him down. No, he did not accomplish a damn thing once there, because Silva's defensive Jits is too good. Can we all start giving the guy the credit he deserves as one of the best defensive ji-jitsu players in the sport?

One more thing - it seems a popular choice here to say GSP by decision in this fight. How actually would he accomplish this? Lay n pray? I suppose Chael was a couple minutes away from doing just that, but I'm on record about the injury, size, blah blah blah.

Thanks for your opinions

[Vaughany]

I'm shocked, shocked I say, to find you working the prop angle.


Let me guess what position you played in rugby.....

haha Unfortunately wasnt fat enough to get tht position!

[Poppa Catfish]

Maia is now the measuring stick for takedowns? Henderson has great guard passing skills? I feel like I'm in bizarro world here, nevermind that latter person in your example was able to take the Spider down.

If those are truths in your world then I fear we are too far off to hold a reasonable discussion. I'm pretty sure nearly every single person has been able to stifle Dan's top game, he isn't called decision dan because of his effortless guard passing and lightning quick submissions.

[kiefynugs]

GSP undeniably represents a greater threat to silva in grappling than Dan Henderson, but it's not like he's a guard passing submission machine either. So there's truth to both sides of this definitely.

But Poppa I gotta say if you think GSP is going to be landing damaging shots on Silva you're gonna be disappointed. I don't care if Roach and him have been training for 10 years on the rocky slopes of mt. doom, the gap is just too wide for GSP to take that risk

[omalley21]

Gsp will get td's. Its whether he can keep him down like sonnen did. Alves was able to get up from under gsp.

[Buddy Huggs]

My reference to Dan Henderson concerned his inability to do damage for the round he held top, nothing about jits or passing. My reference to Maia is mmath, I admit, but valid nonetheless. Demian Maia was 1/1 in takedowns against Chael, 0/I think 18 or 19 against Anderson, point being that Andy's striking makes it harder for guys to come in on him, especially when they have nothing to offer on the feet. Hmm and I believe your point about decision dan actually helps my arguement. He's capable of holding guys down for a decision, just not guys named anderson silva. Lets talk about guard passing since fish brought it up. The only dude I can think of thats gotten past Andy's guard in the UFC is Travis Lutter. Andy had both knees 'scoped 17 days before the fight. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but that means his guard is pretty stout, yeah? A statistic I would be very interested in seeing would be all the blackhouse guys and how often they get subbed or TKO'd on the ground. For that matter how can you seriously support Georges knowing he tapped to strikes from 5'6" Matt Serra? Really? After he's been ducking this fight for the last two years? After we've watched GSP be afraid to stand with Dan Hardy then fail to finish two really tight arm subs? You honestly feel he has anything on the ground for Anderson after that?

BTW Dana White is on record saying this fight will be for the MW title, I'd be happy to see some sources stating otherwise.

Drop the attitude, drop the betting rhetoric, tell me EXACTLY how you think GSP can win this fight and why.

Sub? top control UD? Don't even say TKO/KO.

[Poppa Catfish]

GSP undeniably represents a greater threat to silva in grappling than Dan Henderson, but it's not like he's a guard passing submission machine either. So there's truth to both sides of this definitely.

But Poppa I gotta say if you think GSP is going to be landing damaging shots on Silva you're gonna be disappointed. I don't care if Roach and him have been training for 10 years on the rocky slopes of mt. doom, the gap is just too wide for GSP to take that risk

He is a guard passing machine, submissions not so much (and that is putting it nicely). I got to agree with you on the stand up part, I don't see him landing any kind of power punches. Once again I think we are fairly close in viewpoint, we just differ in outcome.

[Poppa Catfish]

My reference to Dan Henderson concerned his inability to do damage for the round he held top, nothing about jits or passing. My reference to Maia is mmath, I admit, but valid nonetheless. Demian Maia was 1/1 in takedowns against Chael, 0/I think 18 or 19 against Anderson, point being that Andy's striking makes it harder for guys to come in on him, especially when they have nothing to offer on the feet. Hmm and I believe your point about decision dan actually helps my arguement. He's capable of holding guys down for a decision, just not guys named anderson silva. Lets talk about guard passing since fish brought it up. The only dude I can think of thats gotten past Andy's guard in the UFC is Travis Lutter. Andy had both knees 'scoped 17 days before the fight. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but that means his guard is pretty stout, yeah? A statistic I would be very interested in seeing would be all the blackhouse guys and how often they get subbed or TKO'd on the ground. For that matter how can you seriously support Georges knowing he tapped to strikes from 5'6" Matt Serra? Really? After he's been ducking this fight for the last two years? After we've watched GSP be afraid to stand with Dan Hardy then fail to finish two really tight arm subs? You honestly feel he has anything on the ground for Anderson after that?

BTW Dana White is on record saying this fight will be for the MW title, I'd be happy to see some sources stating otherwise.

Drop the attitude, drop the betting rhetoric, tell me EXACTLY how you think GSP can win this fight and why.

Sub? top control UD? Don't even say TKO/KO.

Because Travis Lutter is the Michael Jordan of BJJ Besides didn't Lutter and Henderson hold Silva down very easily before gassing, at least that is how I see it. Easy to see why Lutter gassed, did a terrible job training and with a rushed cut to boot.

I'm not sure if you train, so I won't assume anything, but if you have I would put this question to you; how often are the guys there fully healthy? Maybe AKA is different, but there its pretty much the norm for a fighter to come off shoulder, knee, back surgeries or sprained ankles etc etc. Come to think about it, I can't remember a sport I played in where everybody was bright cheery and 100%. Wrestling, Varsity football, judo, college rugby, and yes even my volleyball team involved a lot of ice bags and trip to the trainers and or ER. Just last week I drove my good friend to the doctors for him to get his shoulder looked at and re-bandaged. He busted it up real good during guerilla jiu-jitsu after twisting incorrectly trying to take somebody's back whilst they were throwing him.

Injury generally doesn't even come into play as far as what I consider, long layoff on the other hand is another matter.

As for Serra, look you have to be able to mentally cross out certain fights, and actually this goes in all sports. Guy got caught really bad and wasn't able to recover. In other sports we see teams like the Lakers or Manchester U lose to lesser teams but we don't project as much as we tend to do in MMA. I'm as guilty as that as anybody, but sometimes you have to look at the body of work and be willing to throw out a fight or two. It isn't like GSP has been rocked badly or even hurt really in his past couple of fights. I think I will look to his current form rather than let one fight screw with my head.