Silva vs. Stann: What to Watch for in UFC on Fuel 8 Main Event

There’s nothing like a good fight—especially when it’s free. With no need to dole out cash to watch UFC on Fuel 8, there’s no reason to miss some terrific fights that promise to deliver plenty of action.

The event has some quality matchups on its card, but none will be more exciting than the co-main event between Wanderlei Silva and Brian Stann.

Though Silva is nearing the end of his career, he still has some gas left in the tank for another battle in front of the fans that fueled his success in PRIDE. Stann won’t be a pushover, though, and “The All American” will look to put an end to Silva on March 3.

Here’s a look at what to expect when the former light heavyweight champions square off.

How Will Silva Look at 205 Pounds?

“The Axe Murderer” hasn’t fought at 205 pounds since 2008, when he was knocked out by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in UFC 92. Not cutting weight to meet Stann in a middleweight bout, the two will instead fight at 205 (per ESPN).

Stann doesn’t plan to fight at 205 in the future (his last six showdowns were at the middleweight division), but he should have a reasonable advantage with the added speed and quickness of fighting in a lighter weight class in recent bouts (per Yahoo! Sports).

Silva is a legend of the sport, but at 36 years old, not fighting at 185 was probably the best way for him to neutralize Stann’s quickness in this one.

A Bounce-Back Bout

Both Silva (34-12-1) and Stann (17-5) are coming off losses entering this fight. Neither wants to increase that tally.

Silva hasn’t fought since June 23—a bout he dropped to Rich Franklin via unanimous decision. With his career coming to a close, this may be the final opportunity for him to notch a win in the octagon.

Like the Axe Murderer, Stann lost his last fight in a unanimous decision. Michael Bisping took him to the distance on September 22, winning a fight that Stann will hope to bounce back from on March 3.

Neither fighter is accustomed to losing consecutive fights. Stann’s only sequential losses came in 2008 and 2009, while Silva went the first 10 years of his career without losing two fights in a row.

Sayonara for Silva?

No fighter can take the abuse forever. Silva is a mixed martial arts legend, but he’s at the tail end of his career.

With a 5-8 mark in the last seven-plus years, it’s easy to see why he wanted to return to Japan for what could be his last face-off.

Silva was a superstar in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, but those days are behind him. He’s lost more than a step, and leaving this fight with a victory is far from a sure thing.

It would be terrific to see the legend go out with a win, but Stann has a sizeable advantage in this one. Silva’s potential swan song will be reason enough to watch the fight, but it may not be a pretty farewell for the legendary fighter.