UFC 139 Preview: The Main Card
Silva vs. Le
Wanderlei Silva has lost six of his last eight fights. | Photo:
Daniel Herbertson
Middleweights
Wanderlei Silva (33-11-1, 3-6 UFC) vs. Cung Le (7-1, 0-0 UFC)
The Matchup: Some might say that Le was fortunate when Vitor Belfort withdrew from this bout and Silva stepped in to take his place, but even the current incarnation of “The Axe Murderer” represents as serious a challenge as the former Strikeforce champion has faced in his MMA career.
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The same claims cannot be made regarding Silva, even though a brutal knockout loss to Chris Leben at UFC 132 -- his sixth defeat in eight appearances -- had some, including UFC President Dana White, hinting at the Brazilian’s impending retirement. Those close to Silva say the fire to compete still burns, and a match against Le represents a great opportunity to get back on track.
At his best, the former Pride standout comes on like a buzz saw,
swarming his opponents with roundhouse strikes and ill intentions.
At 35, with wear and tear that likely makes him feel years older,
Silva’s knockout power is not what it used to be. Still, an
aggressive approach would benefit Silva against Le, who favors a
high-volume, accurate striking style.
Le possesses a plethora of kicks with which to keep Silva at bay and is adept at changing levels with his attack. It will benefit Le to stay on the outside as much as possible, creating distance to land attacks, like the spinning back kick that hurt Scott Smith at Strikeforce/M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Werdum.”
The X-factor could prove to be Lee’s hands, which generally are not nearly as dangerous as his feet. A solid jab like the one he displayed against Smith will be an asset.
Silva will want to fight at close range, where his dangerous hands will be effective and his muay Thai prowess can punish his foe in the clinch. Silva can make this happen by slowing Le’s movement with his still-dangerous leg kicks. How Le responds to a firefight in close quarters with Silva will speak volumes about his will to compete.
The Pick: The ground game figures to be an afterthought, as this bout will be a striker’s delight. It is hard to imagine the judges playing a role in the outcome given the histories of these two men in the cage. Le is flashy, but his conditioning has proven suspect in the past. Silva, with something to prove, brutalizes his opponent in the clinch and begins his farewell tour with a second-round technical knockout.
Continue Reading » Next Fight: Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles
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