Joabbuac

By someone i meant somebody...somewhere

Just one dude with so much hate he has been 100% confident even the likes of James Irvin and Bonner will beat him. Na not that...just that every Silva fight has people pretty confident he will lose, here is just one of them people speaking out.

Since its Rashad Evans you can tell he is just projecting, his opinion is pretty biased, he sees in GSP a fighter with many of the tools he thinks he would use to beat Silva its pretty much impossible for him to not be confident.

Sports_Nerd

It's not just timing though. GSP is a freak athlete, he can generate more speed from a standing start than almost anyone in MMA. And he has incredible technique as well.

GSP can and would take Silva down. The question is how quickly he can do it, each round, and how long he can survive before Silva catches him and puts him out.

PheelGoodInc

I've held this opinion for along time. I still do. I think GSP wipes the floor with Silva... regardless of the size difference.

It's not a matter of fighter preference. It's a style matchup. GSP has the wrestling, sub defense, and cardio to win the fight.

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El Bresko

but does he have the chin? He's been tagged in every one of his fights and Anderson is a completely different menace.

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PheelGoodInc

He has never been tagged by a guy who he wants to put on the floor.

GSP is very smart. He won't try to mix it up with Silva like he did with Condit.

Rashad had a good point about fighters on top of Silva advancing in position. GSP has some of the best guard passing ability in the game. I really think once gets Silva down he can seriously threaten him.

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marcthegame

What happens if Silva stops the take downs? What if Silva starts the fight with his hands down or comes out swing from the start? Everything on paper says this fight should be competitive and a slight edge to GSP based on Silva's pass. However if this fight happens I do believe Silva will murder GSP. Remember it's Anderson Silva who is asking for this fight, he is already the goat of MMA. Now you combine with what he can do in there and the fact that he has called out GSP...means he knows he can win this fight.

He is 16-0, you take away the first chael fight he has looked virtually unbeatable. 11 victories via ko/tko all 11 he has made it look easy. When GSP gets hit he panics, anderson silva is one of the best strikers off his back, never mind his bjj, GSP will be in danger for 25 mins with the best in the business. He is not going to hold silva down, because eventually silva will fight back unlike any of his opponents who GSP breaks mentally during the fight.

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"Everybody beats Anderson until they fight him "

-- Old school fan

PheelGoodInc

If Silva stops the takedown, GSP will just shoot for another takedwon. Silva won't be able to drop his hands against a guy like GSP. GSP is far too accurate of a striker and won't hesitate. Sonnen was the only guy to not hesitate when Silva dropped his hands and Sonnen rocked him. Imagine what a pinpoint striker like GSP would do. If Silva comes out swinging from the start GSP will take him down (just like he tried to do against Sonnen).

He called him out, sure. That doesn't change anything in my mind. GSP has the same odds as he did before Silva called him out as he does now. It may show confidence on Silva's part. That doesn't change my perspective on how the fight will go down.

Silva has shown struggles in certain situations against certain types of fighters (Lutter, Hendo, and Chael). He has definitely NOT looked unbeatable. His BJJ off his back is nothing worse than what Condit posed. He's not the crazy BJJ wizard off of his back you're making him out to be. It took him 23 minutes to sub Chael, and he didn't even come close to it the second time.

GSP will be able to hold Silva down and advance position unlike any wrestler Silva has faced yet. I think Silva will be the one who mentally breaks when he realizes GSP is tailor made to beat him, unlike 90% of his past opponents who are tailor made to get highlight real KO'd.

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hatedcellphones

This. GSP hasn't finished a fight since UFC 94.

That and I actually had Condit winning a couple of their exchanges aside from the big kick. If he comes out like that against Silva he'll get picked apart on the feet.

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Tyson Fury

Not really though. Don't remember him mounting Condit. Maybe briefly when he was trying to get Condits back. I'm sure there are others, I just can't be bothered to look them up.

I do agree though that Andy isn't getting finished. If GSP wins, and he does have to tools to do it, it'l be a 5 rounder. Untested waters for Silva. I see Andy TKO'ing GSP unfortunately as I'm a GSP fan. Spider fan too though so I'm not sure if this fight is win-win or lose-lose.

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Soakked

As much as I believe that GSP is the legit #2 pound for pound guy, I wouldn't give him more than 20% chance to win in this match up. GSP doesn't bully and tackle his way to a takedown the way Sonnen does, for him it's more about his opponent over extending or making a mistake (usually because of excessive aggression). I don't see Silva doing that.

Not saying that GSP wouldn't eventually get a takedown or two, if he survives the damage he'll likely take to get one, but once it does hit the ground he doesn't have the power to finish Silva. Actually I don't believe he has the power to finish Silva anywhere, on the feet, on the ground, through cuts nadda.

But we all know Silva has the power to finish GSP ANYWHERE. So when you take into account all these variables there is no way that Silva loses this.

Silva -
Mental game (confidence and psychology) - Silva
Finishing ability - Silva
Heart - Silva
Stand up technique - Silva
Size and Reach - Silva
Power - Silva
Speed - Equal (maybe)
Chin - Silva
Least amount of damage taken on average - Silva
BJJ offense - Silva (slight)
Timing - Silva (slight; Silva striking timing overcomes GSP's takedown timing)
Accuracy - Silva
Killer Instinct - Silva

GSP
Wrestling - GSP
BJJ defense - GSP (slight)
Gameplan/Strategy - GSP
Grappling - GSP (especially top control)
Age - GSP


The most important factors in this fight I think are -

1) Silva's ability to finish anywhere (at any time) and GSP inability to do the same.

2) 5 round fight which favors Silva much more so than it does GSP

3) Silva's chin and constitution (doesn't cut) and GSP lack of power. This ties in with #1.

The fact that the fight starts on the feet every round is major. The fact that even on the ground Silva causes damage (much more so than Condit) than most opponents GSP has faced, and GSP lumps up easy. The fact that Silva has a major power advantage and better ability to absorb damage. The fact that Silva is the larger guy. The fact that it could take Silva a few seconds to end the fight in any round, while it will take GSP 15 minutes minimum out of the the 25 to win.

All that points to me that Silva will dominate this fight. There is a reason GSP is so reluctant to take this fight and that is because he understands this and knows his chances of winning are slim.

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