4 Reasons to Believe Chris Weidman Can Pull Off the Upset over Anderson Silva

UFC 162 has a certain feel to it, as if everyone is waiting for that big moment to happen. 

Some anticipate the big moment as Anderson Silva's downfall. Others anticipate it coming in the form of serenity, when all of Chris Weidman's prophets return to the shadows.

Anyway you look at it, the UFC 162 main event is a big fight. Not just because it features the pound-for-pound king, but because it features the pound-for-pound king in a legitimately dangerous situation.

Weidman represents a severe threat to Silva's title reign. This is an argument that could be simplified with one point—Weidman is good enough to beat Silva—or broken down into a bunch of granular assertions, like the challenger's confidence makes him dangerous, his athleticism could pose problems, and so on.

Taking the middle ground, I've gone ahead and outlined some of the more pertinent factors that make Weidman a danger to Silva at UFC 162 over the course of the following four slides.

Weidman's Wrestling Advantage

Hey, did you hear that Weidman implements the perfect style to give Silva trouble?

OK, so harping on the American's wrestling edge has become a platitude by now, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth considering.

Silva found himself in some deep water over the course of two fights with Chael Sonnen, thanks to Sonnen's strong wrestling attack.

Some will point out that Silva escaped both bouts with Sonnen, and that Sonnen was busted for elevated testosterone after their first fight, and these are valid points, but they do not tell the whole tale.

If you don't think wrestling was fundamental to Sonnen's limited successes against Silva, you're fooling yourself. 

And if you don't think Weidman has any chance of replicating the exploit Sonnen revealed, you're fooling yourself even more.

Weidman's Grappling Edge

So, yes, Sonnen drew the blueprint for defeating Silva, only to lose to him. Twice. 

The problem with Sonnen's attack is that once he put Silva down he had nowhere to go. His only real goal was to keep the Brazilian pinned until each round's end, then repeat the process. He did fairly well at that—better than anyone has done anything else against Silva inside the Octagon—but surviving for 25 minutes against an opponent as dangerous as "The Spider" is difficult, no matter how much control you exercise.

That is why Weidman is more threatening to Silva than Sonnen ever was. He doesn't have to survive for 25 minutes.

Silva is a solid grappler, but Weidman is better. He possesses the capability to submit Silva, especially if he can get top position, which his wrestling should allow him to do.

It's not as simple as landing a takedown and locking in a submission—Silva's too good for it to be that easy—but Weidman's wrestling-submissions combo affords him a path to victory that none of Silva's previous opponents have unlocked.

Silva Has to Slow Down Eventually

I have no reason to believe that Silva will be slower or weaker at UFC 162 than ever before. But it's possible. He is 38 and his decline is impending.

Too often people see a fighter continue to win and write off age as a non-factor. But sometimes it isn't obvious. Sometimes the decline happens methodically, rendering an athlete's ability over an extended duration in quantities so minute that they cannot be identified.

But they still occur.

The point is, Silva could be a fraction of a second slower. He could tire 30 seconds earlier than he would have three years ago. 

Sure, it's conjecture, but it could play a role at UFC 162. And if it does, it will make a difference.

Weidman Is the Real Deal

I'm not going to say Weidman is better than Silva, since we'll know who is better after tonight's match. But, I am going to claim that Weidman is an elite talent.

Some have a difficult time accepting what hasn't been tangibly demonstrated to them time and again. They look at Weidman's nine-fight career and write it off as too small a sample size. 

It's a fair, logical way of looking at things, but it's not always the most pragmatic. 

Take for example any major team-sports league, like the NFL, NHL, MLB, etc. A player can burst onto the scene, have a tremendous rookie year and look the part of a future star. 

Sure, that rookie might fizzle out and end up just another player, but to say he isn't elite simply because other players, players who have been around an extra five years, have achieved more. It is just plain silly to equate results with talent and believe an absence of the first informs a lack of the second.

Sometimes talent is obvious and it's obvious in Weidman's case. Turn your head if you like, but that doesn't mean he isn't a top fighter and a legitimate threat to bring ruin to Silva's throne.

I can accept arguments stating Silva's superiority, but those that claim Weidman is a media creation are really missing something, and I'm not sure how.