Anderson Silva: Is This The Beginning Of The End of Silva?

"USA! USA! USA! USA!"

Such were the chants that rang throughout the Oracle arena, that seemed to be the soundtrack to one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. 

The three letters were very fitting as Anderson Silva, who has historically dominated American fighters, lay on his back in the 5th round of a surprisingly one sided fight.  As challenger Chael Sonnen mounted the champion, he seemed to be pounding away America's demons with every stunning blow.  

What happened next is just another routine example (despite its shock) of what has made mixed martial arts the fastest growing sport in America.    

Anderson Silva's escape artist victory over Chael Sonnen ironically continued what has been the most dominant championship reign in all of the UFC.  

Anderson Silva, much maligned by tension between him and his critics that had reached a fever pitch, was beaten up and out wrestled for the better part of five rounds.  

His expert Jiu-Jitsu (triangle submission hold), the same Jiu-Jitsu that has served as a catalyst for extended inactivity during many of his recent fights due to his opponent's similar mastery of the art, bailed him out of the fight of his life against a game wrestler in Chael Sonnen.  

This is not the first time we've seen Anderson Silva struggle against a wrestler. Heading into UFC 117, it had been the consensus belief that the last round Anderson Silva lost was round one of his Middleweight title bout against Dan Henderson way back when at UFC 82.  That round saw Henderson take down the champion and mount him for the majority of round one, before later getting caught in a rear-naked choke just one round later.  

Silva's struggles against elite wrestlers was a non-story for the next series of title defenses for the Spider. Instead, Anderson Silva talk was usually dominated by either questions or praise of his dominance, depending on who he was matched up against.  

With Silva's struggles against wrestlers proving to be more than simply a one round fluke, thanks in part to Chael Sonnen, Silva's subsequent road to retaining his coveted Middleweight title has become quite rocky all of a sudden.  

With Chael Sonnen all but victorious before suddenly succumbing to a triangle submission hold, a Silva/Sonnen rematch has to be on the horizon if not in the immediate future.  

This would pit the Spider against an elite wrestler once again, thus putting the odds in perspective (good luck cashing in on Chael as an underdog in this fight) and putting Anderson Silva in jeopardy that we have not yet seen since - the last time he fought Chael Sonnen. 

The chants of the three letters of "USA!" that spoke to such a crucial, yet overlooked, subplot in the most one sided rivalry in MMA (Anderson Silva 13, America 0) could finally serve as Silva's swan song.  However three other letters speak to an even more monumental fight that became much more interesting (if that were possible) with Anderson Silva's struggles against elite wrestling once again on the radar.  

GSP.  

George St. Pierre is scheduled to face Josh Koscheck at the conclusion of the upcoming installment of the Ultimate Fighter.  However with Anderson Silva's supposed pre-fight rib injuries now an issue, the extended time between fights due to the healing process could finally facilitate an eventual super fight showdown match up with George St. Pierre (the elite of the elite when it comes to wrestling) and Anderson Silva.  

Does Chael Sonnen deserve a rematch?  Of course he does.  But this isn't the UFL (an Ultimate Fighting League where wins and losses are everything), it is an MMA promotion that is ultimately concerned with making the most lucrative, yet responsible, box office bouts it can create.  Hell, Lyoto Machida won, what, eight hundred fights in the UFC before he finally got a look as a possible title contender?    

We saw what almost happened to Anderson Silva against Chael Sonnen, and while Sonnen may have a rightful claim to be the man to 'finish the job' against Anderson Silva, GSP will be the more profitable option.  

If Dana White really is hell bent on seeing Anderson Silva defeated (which I believe he is), why not do it in a way that will make the most money?  After all, this is the implied mission statement of any promotion.  

If GSP/Silva is a possibility following the Ultimate Fighter, then make it the possibility that fight fans (casual, hardcore, and Canadian) wouldn't be able to turn down.

Sonnen had his chance.  He blew it.  Life's not fair.  

And on the flip side, if we never saw Silva/GSP in their primes (the two most dominant primes in the sport right now) because something called a Chael Sonnen unseated Sivla on his second attempt before St. Pierre even got his first, is that considered fair?

Anderson Silva against George St. Pierre's elite wrestling is a match up that should strike fear into the hearts of even the most staunch Anderson Silva fighters, size be damned.  Regardless of who it is (Sonnen, St. Pierre) an inevitable showdown with an elite wrestler could spell doom for Anderson Silva and the longest win streak in UFC history.  

Although we have heard that before.  And Anderson Silva submitted it with a triangle. 

Big Nasty is the editor of The Big Nasty Athletic Dept. Log on to twitter at twitter.com/bignasty247 and follow him until he presses charges!