UFC 97: Silva's tough test; Liddell's fight for relevance
UFC 97 is scheduled for this weekend, and there is some intrigue to go with it. Granted, it’s not the greatest or most interesting show, but I am interested in the two main events. Anderson Silva faces his stiffest test since Dan Henderson, more than a year ago, and Chuck Liddell faces Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a fight between two guys with a lot to lose.
Silva should knock out Thales Leites, although it might get interesting if the fight gets to the ground somehow. Even still, Silva’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu is underrated, so he can hold his own. Regardless, it’s usually a joy to watch Silva in action, so this fight should be entertaining.
On the flip side, you have Rua, who has been a huge disappointment since joining the UFC, fighting Chuck Liddell, who has lost three of his past four matches and is quickly on his way to irrelevance in the current title picture. Both men desperately need to have a great showing but both will have any win explained away with numerous excuses (Liddell is old and has lost three of four fights, Rua is washed up and has never been the same in the UFC, Rua gassed against a 44-year-old Mark Coleman, etc.).
I don’t know if it’s required buying this weekend, but it’s definitely worth a trip to an establishment to catch the show, if you can’t get some guys together to buy it at your house.
I think the obvious choice is Silva and Liddell, both in knockout form, right?
Silva should knock out Thales Leites, although it might get interesting if the fight gets to the ground somehow. Even still, Silva’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu is underrated, so he can hold his own. Regardless, it’s usually a joy to watch Silva in action, so this fight should be entertaining.
On the flip side, you have Rua, who has been a huge disappointment since joining the UFC, fighting Chuck Liddell, who has lost three of his past four matches and is quickly on his way to irrelevance in the current title picture. Both men desperately need to have a great showing but both will have any win explained away with numerous excuses (Liddell is old and has lost three of four fights, Rua is washed up and has never been the same in the UFC, Rua gassed against a 44-year-old Mark Coleman, etc.).
I don’t know if it’s required buying this weekend, but it’s definitely worth a trip to an establishment to catch the show, if you can’t get some guys together to buy it at your house.
I think the obvious choice is Silva and Liddell, both in knockout form, right?
Kevin Richardson has been a fan of mixed martial arts competition ever since UFC 3, when 600-pound sumo wrestler Emmanuel Yarborough was beaten by Keith Hackney. Kevin will cover the world of MMA — in Baltimore, nationally and internationally. He plans to take readers into the locker rooms and MMA schools, where they'll hear from local fighters and trainers. If you have a news tip or suggestions for the blog, please 
Comments
As dissapointing as Lidell has been as of late, I am a firm believer that he has the potential to legitimately beat anybody they put him in the ring with.
Posted by: woody | April 16, 2009 7:34 PM