His striking is frightening. His punching is surgical and with 4oz gloves it's lights out. Each one of his elbows and knees must feel like being in a car crash. His kicks are dynamic and his Muay Thai clinch is hard to contend with. His head movement looks like it belongs in boxing but he makes it work very well in MMA. I don't think he's great at catching or blocking shots and when he does pure boxing he looks average. This is why I was intrigued at seeing Vitor close the distance and force him to block, grapple or get ktfo. What do you think his grappling is like? He is a black belt in Judo and BJJ! He RNC'd Henderson and he did a sick reversal on Nate. Is his sprawl impressive or average? Does he even have to use his sprawl because guys can't get past his striking! [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp5iQ4A7e_g&feature=player_embedded[/ame]
His wrestling is avg at best but as you say his striking makes guys so weary its basically his td defense. I think a slightly younger Hendo would have beaten him. I think Sonnen gives him the most trouble of all the UFC middles, stylistically.
Anderson Silva is an extremely well rounded martial artist. The only one who can be mentioned in that conversation with him is Georges St. Pierre and Lyoto Machida. Anderson is an expert at Muay Thai, Boxing, Judo, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and probably a few other more esoteric fighting styles. I know that he got his yellow rope in Capoeira not too long ago. I've even see him use capoeira movement in his fights. Pretty sick. Is he an expert wrestler? No. Is it average? No. It's slightly above average, but nothing overly spectacular.
Its his takedown defense. The key to beating him IMO would use a Chael Sonnen style. Takedown, smother, vicious GNP. You have no chance striking with this guy unless maybe your Vitor Belfort.
id like to see him in with vitor or sonnen because he's nerver fought a world class striker so who knows how he'd cope! and he can get worked by a good wrestler if hedo had his wrestling head on instead of wanting to bang an prove how tough he is he might of beat him, if lutter didn't gas he might of beat him, but that shouldn't take nothing away from anderson because in the end he won and in style!
Everyone seems to forget how good Andersons guard is. You better knock him out when youre on top because its a very small window of opportunity before he stands up and puts you in his collection of beatdowns.
Yes, i think u only way to beat him is GNP. I dont think you are going to submit him and no one is definitely going to beat him standing. If 1 man can do it is vitor belfort. He comes from a boxing background.
