Silva’s Been There - A Lot More
Published by Charles Jay on May 24th, 2008 in Operation Cleanup

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Commentary on MMA history….as it’s happening

BetUS UFC Betting Odds
Light Heavyweights (Three rounds)
May 24 — Las Vegas
WANDERLEI SILVA -175
KEITH JARDINE +135

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I’m not sure there’s such a thing as an easy fight. So I won’t sell Keith Jardine short in his light heavyweight showdown against Wanderlei Silva.

Some observers see Silva ripe for defeat. After all, he’s had three straight losses, right? yes, but those losses illustrate something. they came against Mirko Cro Cop, Dan Henderson and Chuck Liddell, three of the better fighters the sport has had to offer in recent years. That puts Silva in a place where he’s probably not one of the very elite fighters, but remains a dangerous, wily veteran who can use what he knows to great dvantage against those of lesser experience.

Jardine is one of those fighters. Don’t get me wrong; he’s not a ham-and-egger, because his win over Liddell justifies him getting this opportunity. He is good enough to beat a very good fighter who is not having a very good night. By the same token, when Jardine is not having a good night, he is capable of being KO’d by the likes of Houston alexander, and I don’t see anyone offering any title fights lately to Houston Alexander.

Jardine is a rough-and-tumble guy, but I’m not sure he possesses class on the same order as his opponent for Saturday. Silva is ultra-aggressive, and, I think, the more versatile of the two. If he’s in shape and motivated (and why shouldn’t he be?), he is going to give Jardine no room to breathe.

You know, we’ve gotten to the point where MMA records have “matured.” You don’t see many instances where guys are coming in after a few fihts and challenging successfully for world titles because the other guy doesn;t have that many more fights.

In other words, experience edges really matter, and it’s easier to tell which kind of experience means something. In Silva’s case, it means plenty. Just look at guys he’s beaten, including Henderson in an earlier encounter and not one, but TWO wins over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. His line-by-line reford is robust, to say the least. You just can’t compare Jardine’s resume, despite his better result against the prominent common opponent (Liddell).

I like Silva here, inside the distance.