Anderson Silva Will Be at His Best in Rematch with Chris Weidman

No matter the outcome, Anderson Silva will be at his best when he faces Chris Weidman at UFC 168 on Dec. 28. Weidman knocked out the MMA legend in their first meeting at UFC 162. Silva's clowning and taunting cost him his title and created some confusion.

Who is really the better fighter? If Weidman defeats the Spider again, there will be no excuses.

The loss has seemingly served as a wake-up call for Silva. He is earnestly jumping back into the Octagon after suffering a devastating KO loss just five-plus months prior.

At 38 years old, the Spider is facing his fighting mortality for the first time in his career. The man who has always exuded confidence in the Octagon and out has been forced to doubt some things about himself.

That vulnerability will be good for him as it will create a healthy edginess heading into the rematch. After years of domination in the UFC, a hard left hand from Weidman has shaken the previously rock-solid foundation Silva created.

A loss was bound to happen at some point—if Silva fought long enough—but was the loss to Weidman a product of Father Time and/or the natural rule of combat sports catching up to him?

Or did his clowning truly expedite the inevitable loss in front of the UFC fans?

In either case, can Silva rebound from the effects of not just being beaten, but being separated from consciousness? The psychological effects of this type of defeat can't be underestimated. Many fighters are never the same after these types of losses.

This is especially the case when the victim has been so successful.

Silva is a very proud man, and he keeps himself in remarkable physical condition. Because of those two traits, there is no doubt he'll be ready to give his best showing in the rematch.

The biggest question of all is, will it be enough?

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