UFC 148: A Win/Win Scenario for Everyone Involved

Rarely does a fight come along that not only hypnotizes the senses, but guarantees a favorable outcome no matter how it plays out.

Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II is that fight.

There’s a strong sentiment out there that a Sonnen victory would be good for the sport, and in particular the middleweight division, because Silva’s unprecedented title run has grown stale.

There is a definite logic to this line of reasoning. The middleweight division is stagnant. Silva has been the king of the mountain since 2006. He’s defeated every challenger and, with the exception of Sonnen, defeated them soundly.  

It would be nice to crown a new king. The division would become competitive, and that’s something that 185 has never been. When Silva brutally ripped the belt from Rich Franklin, the division was weak—nothing like it is now.

A new champion, undoubtedly less dominant than Silva, would mean more competitive fights and the belt changing hands more often. Sonnen could be that champion.

Beating Silva would be an accomplishment unto itself, but certainly would not equal the same level of success for Sonnen. He could beat Silva because as he showed at UFC 117 he has the right recipe. But Sonnen struggled against Michael Bisping, and with young lions like Chris Weidman and Mark Munoz lurking about, it’s doubtful the 35-year-old would reign for very long.

And that’s a good thing. Middleweight has been ruled by a tyrant longer than most Central African nations.

Welterweight is currently going through the same thing, with GSP holding the crown since 2007. Yes, they have an interim champion, but come on, it’s called “interim” for a reason. Light-heavyweight looks like it’s in for a long tenure by Jon Jones. And featherweight is ruled by Jose Aldo, who is in the midst of what appears to be a lengthy term as well.

That’s four out of eight divisions. That’s enough. Dominant champions are good for the sport. They build legends. But it’s not good to have too many. A nice mix of dominant champs and competitive weight classes keeps the sport interesting.

Before Jon Jones, the light-heavyweight class had seen five different champions (only two of whom defended the belt—once apiece) since Chuck Liddell’s legendary championship run ended in 2007, and it was the most interesting division because of it.

We’ve already witnessed history. The books have been written. It has been decreed. Silva is the greatest champion in MMA history. It’s not even considered subjective anymore to call him the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

If Silva wins at UFC 148, we’ll just enjoy the ride and add another chapter to the book.

If he loses, we have missed out on nothing. We were witness to Silva’s historic run. And the UFC, sweet lord, they get to book the biggest rubber match since Chuck/Randy III.

Silva may lose his title, but he’ll go down in history with a legendary status that keeps everyone else fighting for second.

This is one of those rare situations where everyone wins.