Wanderlei Silva Has the fight he wanted, now must right the ship

Mina Dimitrova | July 1, 2011 | Reply

This holiday weekend is almost here and with that also comes UFC 132 on Saturday, July 2^nd at 9pm ET on Pay-Per-View. Undoubtedly one of the most talked about and probably most highly anticipated fight on the card is the middleweight match up between Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1-1) and Chris Leben (25-7). Both of these fighters are known as very aggressive fighters with a similar style, which has gotten fans expecting an exciting fight packed with stand up action.

Since his return to the UFC Octagon in late 2007 Wanderlei Silva’s record has not been as stellar as his Pride days. In his last five bouts he has had three losses, two by decision and one KO (punches) loss to Quinton Jackson, whom he has previously defeated twice, and two wins, one by decision and one by KO (punches). He most recently won against Michael Bisping well over a year ago in February of 2010. Since then Silva has had a very tough year out of the ring due to injury to his ribs and having to undergo knee surgery. He had to pull out of a fight with Yoshihiro Akiyama, for which he was actually replaced by Chris Leben.

In his pre-fight interview with Ariel Helwani, Silva stated that even though he has been out of the ring for so long and could not train for 4 months after the surgery, he feels one hundred percent ready and in great condition for this fight. Silva wanted the fight because he thinks Leben is a good match up for him and has been watching his fights and performance. He has even expressed an opinion that the fight will end up being the fight of the night if not even the year. In addition he knows that people want to see this fight so it is not a surprise that UFC President Dana White set it up.

Silva or as he is affectionately called by his following Wand, Wandy and the Axe Murdered is a fan favorite and expectations for him are high for an all out brawl. However, Wand has been through many battles, he is a little slower and his body has been through a lot, and it makes sense that at this point in his career that he has modified his style to be more cautious and tone down the aggressiveness during the beginning of each round and save it for towards the end. Wand is an optimist and has expressed that he wants to continue fighting into his forties and thinks he should be able to pack another 10 fights into his already vast career. His birthday will be just after the fight on July 3^rd when he will turn 35. He is favored to win this fight by either a KO/TKO or by a decision if the fight goes full length.

Regardless of his condition Wand is known to be a crown pleaser putting the fans before himself and his safety each and every fight. He is a legend in the sport and rightfully so. As much as he offers unrelenting pressure and violence he can also take it and plow right through.

Chris Leben

Chris Leben had a nice three fight win streak which was stopped short by Brian Stann in January of this year at UFC 125, who won the fight via TKO. He took the Akiyama fight on a short notice after having fought just two weeks before that. His performance that night was outstanding and fan satisfaction with the fight was high. Leben gets his wish to fight one of his idols. Now that the reality is he has to face Wand in the cage he has actually stated that a little bit of fear is not bad before a fight and fears need to be conquered. Leben claims that in his early days he used to watch Silva and imitate his style. He has achieved a similar style and is known for his aggressive fighting and a personality to match. However, he is also a fan favorite and a fan and family friendly fighter. Regardless of what he has said Leben should be able to withstand the pressure put on by Silva and deliver back. He can take punches and punishment as well as deliver it himself. He may not be a favorite to win the fight but he has proven in the past that he can come out on top against the odds. In addition he needs this win against a legendary fighter for a comeback after his loss to Stann. Come fight time the fear and doubt will most likely be nonexistent for this fighter.

Overall this promises to be an action packed fight with good moments throughout. It is not a surprise that fans are hyped up for the fight and expectations are high for both fighters. Judging from their past both are ready to deliver.

Tags: Chris Leben, UFC, UFC 132, Ultimate Fighting Championship, Wanderlei Silva