What’s next for UFC’s greatest of all time Anderson Silva?

What’s next for UFC’s greatest of all time Anderson Silva?

Anderson “the spider” Silva put on another scintillating display at UFC 153. In his home town at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, he stopped the American Psycho Stephan Bonner in the first round.

The end came with a flurry of blows to the head as Stephan Bonner was curled up on the floor, after being downed by A vicious knee to the body. It was another first round stoppage for Silva extending his UFC record for most consecutive wins to 16.

The incredible middleweight champion fighting for a third time at the light heavyweight 205 pound division, had stopped his previous two at this weight. In the first round against Bonner, well for most of it, Silva decided to stand with his back to the cage with his hands down inviting Bonner to hit him.

Many may see this as obnoxious, cocky, distasteful and disrespectful to his heavier opponent. But to the millions of UFC fans he has entertained over the years during his 16 straight victories, it was just another opportunity to display his superior skills and natural ability.

Bonner was / is no mug, for what he lacked in technical ability and skill, he MORE than made up for in grit, heart, determination and a granite like chin. This had been displayed ever since he and Forrest Griffin battled their way into UFC folklore in the Ultimate Fighter Season one finale.

Bonner had never been stopped in the 22 fights prior to the Silva fight, this included losses to Rashad Evans and Jon bones Jones. The only fight he lost prematurely was a defeat to Lyoto Machida due to cuts.

Bonner gallantly came out swinging and tied Silva up on the cage, but that is when Silva taunted Bonner, dropped his hands, bobbed and weaved to stayed out of harms way. There was one moment when Bonner tried a spinning back kick to which Silva just calmly side stepped, still with his hands down. Bonner missed and kicked the cage with Silva still only an inch away from him.

After that Anderson Silva went to work, he started to throw a few more shots and backed up Bonner who stumbled across the Octagon. Then came the opening, Silva followed in with a powerful knee to the stomach where you could visibly see the wind being taking out of Bonner and he crumbled to the floor in pain. It was all over from there after a few ground blows and Bonner had been stopped for the very first time in his career.

After the bout, with speculation that Silva maybe staying at 205, after cleaning up the 185 Middleweight division. Silva claimed he only moved up to save the event following numerous amount of cancellations and fighters pulling out.

I’m sure the whole UFC fraternity must have taken a collective disappointing sigh. A super fight between Silva and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones would capture the imagination of fight fans around the world, and not only UFC fans.

There was talk previously of a fight between Silva and welterweight king George “rush” St Pierre, which I feel would be a much better match up for Silva. Unfortunately due to St Pierre’s injuries and the emergence of Jon Jones in the pound for pound rankings, these talks simmered.

St Pierre is due to return in November against Carlos Conduit. If he comes back looking like his old self the rumour mile will no doubt start up again, though I feel the Jones fight is a bigger draw. Jones is a bigger guy, and though they are all handy on the ground Jones and Silva are more of the strikers which could prove to be an explosive encounter.

Both fighters have come out to say they do not want the fight but if Dana White really wants to challenge boxing, these are the kind of super fights that will help him do that.

As we all know, money talks and with both fighter being head and shoulders above anyone in their respective divisions, the pressure for them to get it on will become immense in the coming months.

Whether it is Silva v Jones or Silva v GSP a super fight has to happen for the UFC, especially if they want to further challenge boxing as the no1 combat sport in the world. It would be a tremendous statement following the on going Mayweather v Pacquaio saga.

At the end of the day IF a super fight is ever made, whoever fights Anderson Silva will no doubt have their work cut out.

Again, IF the fight is made one thing is for sure, the real winners will be the fans, and ultimately Dana White and the UFC.