Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen: Spider's Win Further Cements His Greatness
It wasn't the most amazing finish in the world, but Anderson Silva's second-round KO of Chael Sonnen just drove home the point that the Spider is truly the best ever.
Sonnen isn't the greatest challenger, or even the second-best fighter in the world today, but he truly has a style that gives Silva problems.
He dominated the first round again, but like their first meeting, he made one crucial error. Against the Spider, that's all it takes.
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Sonnen's spinning elbow was an epic fail. He lost his balance, fell to the mat and Silva planted a knee to Sonnen's chest that began the onslaught. Some said that the knee was illegal, but the replay clearly showed it landed on Sonnen's chest—which is legal.
True greatness comes in when you meet a personal impediment and you battle through it.
Something about Sonnen's physical strength, wrestling ability and constant pressure would probably always give Silva a problem.
But the most impressive aspect of his win was that he yet again found a way to win.
Despite his amazing gifts, Silva is human. Don't believe for a second that he was without doubt about this fight. He knows, injury or not, high testosterone levels or not, Sonnen got the best of him in their first fight.
The submission victory was just instinctual and technical brilliance.
That doubt had to creep in a bit more after the first round in last night's rematch.
Sonnen immediately took Silva down—which is no easy feat. He controlled the posture and even landed some hard shots from top position. But Silva's amazing technical skill and underrated strength held him at bay.
In Round 2, he regained his wherewithal and wouldn't allow Sonnen to take him down. The longer they stayed on their feet, the more apt Sonnen would be to get himself in trouble as a striker.
It happened, and in a flash and a duck to avoid the wayward elbow, the Spider was putting another foe in his place. Silva is truly the standard by which all other MMA champions should be measured.
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