5 reasons why Anderson Silva can end the Jake Paul hype train
Anderson Silva is among the greatest mixed martial artists to ever step into the octagon. His 34-11-1 record may not look outstanding on paper but he was almost untouchable in his prime.
Silva holds the record for the longest winning streak in the UFC, at 16 fights. The former middleweight champion also has the record for the longest individual title reign at 2,450 days. Amanda Nunes is the only active champion chasing his record right now.
During his championship reign, Anderson Silva showcased near unparalleled striking defense. His performances against Vitor Bellfort, Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson, and others established his dominance. In his second fight against Chris Weidman, 'The Spider' broke his shinbone.
Following his return from injury, Anderson Silva lost five of his last six matches. He retired from MMA in November 2020.
The Spider says he's "done" with MMA 🕷
(via @arielhelwani) https://t.co/ihglkdbEG5
Silva later announced his return to professional boxing. The Brazilian made his pro boxing debut early in his career. He lost his first outing against Osmar Luiz Teixeira in 1998 via corner stoppage. However, in 2005 he KO'd Julio Cesar De Jesus to win his second pro boxing bout.
The move to boxing was immediately criticized by many. However, on June 19, 2021 the MMA veteran managed to win his first boxing bout since 2005. So, here are 5 reasons why 'The Spider' can beat 'The Problem Child', if they fight.
#5. Anderson Silva's experience
To say that Silva has more experience would be an understatement. The former UFC champion's career in combat sports started in 1997. Jake Paul was born on January 17th of the same year. The forty-six-year-old has trained in martial arts for most of his life. Paul, on the other hand, made his pro debut in 2020. He defeated Ali Loui Al-Fakhri a.k.a AnEsonGib via TKO in round one.
Anderson Silva made his professional MMA debut against Raimundo Pinheiro. He submitted Pinheiro via rear-naked choke at 1:53 of round one. Luiz Azeredo was the first fighter to defeat Silva in 2000. After his first loss, Silva went on a nine-fight winning streak before losing to Daiju Takase at Pride 26. On September 11th, 2004, he captured the Cage Rage middleweight championship.
He defended the title three times. After a loss to Yushin Okami in 2006 and one final defense of his Cage Rage middleweight title, Anderson Silva signed with the UFC. During his legendary title run, the Spider also avenged his loss to Okami in 2011.