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The Greatest Pound for Pound Fighter
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 What do you get when you have two competing companies putting on two different shows involving the two best fighters in the world - all on the same night? One night that no mma fan will soon forget. July 19th provided spectators the opportunity to witness the absolute best the world of mixed martial arts had to offer.
UFC: Silva vs. Irvin pitted Anderson Silva, who many feel is pound for pound the best fighter on the planet, against heavy-handed James Irvin in their counter programming Spike TV event.
With Silva coming in at 20 pounds above his usual fighting weight, many fans waited to see just how much the move in weight class would affect the reigning middleweight champion.
Silva did not make it a long wait. It took all of a minute and one second for the Brazilian to catch an Irvin kick and then drop his opponent with a viciously well placed right. Down went Irvin and in for the kill went Silva, unleashing a flurry of punches until the referee had no recourse but to step in and cease the onslaught.
Silva, as always, showing all the class in the world, bowed to an awestruck Irvin and went on to tell Joe Rogan that his intention was to return to 185lbs; but certainly didn’t rule out a return to 205lbs if an opportunity for a special fight presented itself.
The performance was typical Silva. And more than that; it was simply stunning. There could be no doubt left as to who the best pound for pound fighter was.
Or could there.
A man by the name of Fedor Emelianenko was mere minutes away from facing a former UFC Heavyweight Champion and legitimate challenger in Tim Sylvia and for those watching the UFC and Affliction cards simultaneously, a special moment was just on the horizon.
Fedor has faced the best yet been criticized by some as not having a high profile win in some time. Affliction: Banned would provide the man known as The Last Emperor a chance to silence the critics and entrench his name into history all in one shot.
But in order to do that he must first find a way to defeat the massive 6”8 Sylvia who was by far the most formidable opponent Fedor had squared off against in years. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Sylvia knew that this was the moment to shock the world.
What happened next did just that. Shock. As the bell rang that little light within Fedor switched right on, and exactly 36 seconds later, Tim Sylvia's lights were turning right off. In what could only be described as a complete annihilation, Fedor refused to let up until he had Sylvia tapping.
After such dominating performances by such outstanding fighters, it is nearly impossible to say for sure who truly earned the right to be called the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world. But as long as both continue to dismantle their opponents in such decisive fashion; many will begin to care less about who is better and more about who is next.
http://mmalinker.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9316
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Posted on Monday, July 21, 2008
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