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The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist and current UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, is riding an impressive eight-fight win-streak inside the Octagon. After taking the title from Rich Franklin in 2006, Silva has been unstoppable for more than 28 months.
The voice of the UFC, Mike Goldberg believes there may be only one or two fighters that even have a chance to take the title from Silva. Coincidentally enough, these two fighters face off against one another as coaches of this season of The Ultimate Fighter and will co-headline UFC 100.
Those two fighters are Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson. Way to promote Silva's next fight opponent, if he's able to defeat fellow countryman Thales Leites at UFC 97. Silva has already beat Henderson back at UFC 82.
Here's what Goldberg has to say:
"I look at the Bisping and Henderson fight as Dan wanting to get inside, use his Greco, tie Michael up, use the clinch, slow him down and beat him up.
"That’s Dan’s M.O. and that’s the gameplan he used against Rich Franklin in their recent bout.
"Michael on the other hand has become so explosive and so versatile, his striking is so sharp and so fun to watch, everything about him has improved.
"He may just want to stick and move and go from there but he is certainly light years ahead of the Michael Bisping who won The Ultimate Fighter back in 2006.
"He continues to get better and it's a huge opportunity – Dan is the most decorated challenger he's ever taken on and he puts himself right in contention for a title shot at 185lbs if he can get past him.
"But the question is, can anybody beat Anderson Silva? When he's come at his best, he certainly looks unbeatable.
"But there's no such thing as an unbeatable ultimate fighter. There are too many different things that can happen and too many different variables and if you're asking me if Dan Henderson or Michael Bisping can put together the game plan to beat Anderson Silva – of course they can.
"But if you were sitting there in a betting line I think you would say 'can anybody beat Anderson Silva' and you'd go 'hmm, I don't know'.
"But if you could pick a couple of guys who could, it would be the guy that comes out of the Bisping and Henderson fight.
"The winner of that fight would have the best chance out of anybody in the world right now.
"Anderson Silva looks like a man who has not been challenged at all – and that's no disrespect to his opponents. He's a spectacular fighter, a spectacular athlete and he is as well-rounded as anybody in the world and is extremely dangerous.
"If you had to put your money on a guy who was going to run through this sport and create new records and fight wins in a row, I think you would put your money on Anderson Silva.
"That being said though, as we've seen many times before – like when Matt Serra beat Georges St Pierre – one punch or one kick and the world can change quite quickly.
"So really when you look at the top of the challengers' list I see Henderson and Bisping as marquee athletes and marquee fighters who would make one think 'maybe this is the night Anderson leaves no longer the champion.'"
The voice of the UFC, Mike Goldberg believes there may be only one or two fighters that even have a chance to take the title from Silva. Coincidentally enough, these two fighters face off against one another as coaches of this season of The Ultimate Fighter and will co-headline UFC 100.
Those two fighters are Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson. Way to promote Silva's next fight opponent, if he's able to defeat fellow countryman Thales Leites at UFC 97. Silva has already beat Henderson back at UFC 82.
Here's what Goldberg has to say:
"I look at the Bisping and Henderson fight as Dan wanting to get inside, use his Greco, tie Michael up, use the clinch, slow him down and beat him up.
"That’s Dan’s M.O. and that’s the gameplan he used against Rich Franklin in their recent bout.
"Michael on the other hand has become so explosive and so versatile, his striking is so sharp and so fun to watch, everything about him has improved.
"He may just want to stick and move and go from there but he is certainly light years ahead of the Michael Bisping who won The Ultimate Fighter back in 2006.
"He continues to get better and it's a huge opportunity – Dan is the most decorated challenger he's ever taken on and he puts himself right in contention for a title shot at 185lbs if he can get past him.
"But the question is, can anybody beat Anderson Silva? When he's come at his best, he certainly looks unbeatable.
"But there's no such thing as an unbeatable ultimate fighter. There are too many different things that can happen and too many different variables and if you're asking me if Dan Henderson or Michael Bisping can put together the game plan to beat Anderson Silva – of course they can.
"But if you were sitting there in a betting line I think you would say 'can anybody beat Anderson Silva' and you'd go 'hmm, I don't know'.
"But if you could pick a couple of guys who could, it would be the guy that comes out of the Bisping and Henderson fight.
"The winner of that fight would have the best chance out of anybody in the world right now.
"Anderson Silva looks like a man who has not been challenged at all – and that's no disrespect to his opponents. He's a spectacular fighter, a spectacular athlete and he is as well-rounded as anybody in the world and is extremely dangerous.
"If you had to put your money on a guy who was going to run through this sport and create new records and fight wins in a row, I think you would put your money on Anderson Silva.
"That being said though, as we've seen many times before – like when Matt Serra beat Georges St Pierre – one punch or one kick and the world can change quite quickly.
"So really when you look at the top of the challengers' list I see Henderson and Bisping as marquee athletes and marquee fighters who would make one think 'maybe this is the night Anderson leaves no longer the champion.'"
