UFC 139: Will This Be Wanderlei Silva's Last Stand?

No other fighter in mixed martial arts history is as beloved as Wanderlei Silva. 

The Brazilian's aggressive, unorthodox style has earned him a reputation as an entertaining fighter and gained him an overwhelming amount of support from fans worldwide. That same support has followed him throughout his career and despite enduring an unsuccessful stint in the UFC, fans still hope to see a vintage performance out of "The Axe Murderer." 

At UFC 139, fans might get their chance to see one more vintage performance out of Silva as he faces renowned martial artist, Cung Le. A practitioner of Sanshou, Le is primarily known for his caliber striking and kicks. The idea of seeing Silva paired up with another striker can only mean an exciting bout. 

However, after going 2-4 in his last six bouts, Silva's skills seem to have declined quite significantly and he certainly can no longer absorb the same punishment as before, which makes him incredibly vulnerable. That's not to say he isn't capable of putting on a competitive bout, but it indicates that he can no longer compete with the top-tier talent in the middleweight division. 

His most recent bout against Chris Leben at UFC 130 was a sad representation of what the Brazilian has become. Silva was at one time considered to be one of the most feared fighters in the world, but against Leben he crumpled to the canvas after only withstanding a few strikes inside the clinch. 

The next bout against Le will undoubtedly be Silva's last stand to leave a good impression on fans, and more importantly, the company. His legacy will always be remembered and celebrated, but after failing to produce, his reputation as a fighter can no longer be a relied upon to sell his fights—he needs to win and be more consistent. 

His days as a credible contender are obviously over and if he fails to pick up a win against Le, his career could be over too.