UFC 97: Simply, Granny's Own Opinions

**Sorry for the less than flattering picture, but Grandma Dee is 63 years old and this picture shows the end result of the MRSA infection that began above my right eye and almost killed me in late October of last year.

Anyway, no matter what I choose to write abput, the attack dogs are loosed, and I am soundly rebuked for having what others deem to be a "foolish opinion."

Well, guess what folks, it is a free world, a free press, and this is my op-ed piece, so you are free to discontinue reading this right now.

I love the sport of MMA.

My life experiences do shade my opinions, but let's get real folks—doesn't everybody's?

Apparently everyone and their baby brother feels that champion Middleweight fighter Anderson Silva "owes" them a more exciting fight than he delivered!

Well, Granny is calling bulls**t on all of you!

How many of you are cheating your employers or educators by stealing a little time and attention from your jobs and school to sneak away to B/R and while away "their" time with reading or writing sports articles?

Don't you "owe" them something?

Anderson won his match by countering Thales Leites' game plan and picking him apart systematically.

So there was no earth shattering knockout. So What?

When Anderson fought Patrick Cote last year in Chicago, in my state, he was criticized for not having a better performance against Patrick.

Being a very proud man, Anderson was devastated by the criticism that his boss Dana White and his once adoring public heaped upon him after the fight.

I have been accused of letting my feelings about how Dana White has treated Mr. Silva color my opinion about how Anderson delivered a win in a seemingly lackluster fight.

Suddenly, every commenter on my articles has more fighting experience against BJJ fighters of Leites's level than Anderson and feels free to critique him on his fight. Ha!

You want more than a win? You need blood? How BJ Penn of you!

I will not second guess Anderson Silva, but I do believe the way he won this fight says a lot about how he shows his respect to a person he feels is deserving of it.

Patrick Cote came at Anderson and showed no fear what so ever.

Cote was shorter, had a lesser reach, fewer wins on his record, but  has the heart of a lion.

Until his own body betrayed him, he was fighting a very courageous fight with a no quit attitude.

Anderson Silva, a brave man himself with a warrior spirit, recognized this.

For the fight with Thales Leites, all the "experts" thought that Thales could challenge Anderson and with his excellent win record would be able to dethrone the champ, his fellow Brazilian.

Anderson proved that Thales was not worthy and completely unprepared for the task.

Why elevate his foe's performance by giving him an honorable way out of the fight and knocking him out?

People seem to forget that the martial arts are steeped in a tradition which honors bravery and those worthy of being treated with honor.

I would be reaching to say that Anderson did not want to provide Leites with an honorable end to their competition and wanted to humble him and his supporters, who felt he was worthy of dethroning the king.

But in my opinion, Anderson did the smart thing.

Today his body is, and he can fight the next challenger, knowing that he won and that he did not need a flashy finish to be the winner. 

It is not his fault at all that Thales Leites did not live up to the experts' opinions and didn't "bring it on."

Anderson won without any difficulty doing it and walked proudly away. He has won every round he has fought, since joining the UFC.

How many of you shameless armchair fanatics can say that?