Purple Rain: Anderson Silva's Confounding Talent

   Stop making excuses for Silva. He’s not a 8 year old prodigy acting out because he’s too brilliant for his schoolwork. I’m not saying he isnt “bored” of his current position in the ufc, but acting out in such a manner is immature and disgusting. He’s a grown man and represents the ufc when he steps in the ring, and today it was in a new market where they hoped to make a good impression.

    Silva has always had what I consider an annoying arrogance, but has been portrayed by various fans and media outlets as a humble, respectful champ. For the most part, in his interviews (through translation) he’s also tried to maintain the same image. What the world saw today was nothing new, but it was taken to another level, and seemed to open a lot of eyes. So in a way there’s a lot of backlash because he showed himself to be the opposite of what some thought he was. I can’t really blame him too much for that, since I dont think it takes much to see through his facade. Plenty of athletes as you mention aren’t all they’re perceived to be. However, said athletes are for the most part respectful of their sport, its fans, and their employer. (probably largely for their own personal gain though). Anderson definitely crossed this line today.
   
      A friend and I often have discussed separating the “art from the artist”. Someone like prince, who’s by all accounts is a total egomanical douche, still has made some incedible music. Anderson Silva in this instance has let who he is as a person bleed far too much into who he is as a fighter. I see no problem with this. All this “image” bs that so many athletes/musicians/celebrities put out makes me sick. They just do it for their bank account. Be the person that you are. I feel he showed his true colors today, unfortunately they are nothing to be proud of. I dont think of him as less of a fighter, just less as a person. For me, who you are as a person is more important than how good you could ever be at anything, so I dont root for him. I still think he’s a great fighter, just not a good guy and a horrible representative of mma.

      Furthermore, respect for your opponent (sportsmanship) is one of the fundamental aspects of all sport. Generally, such sentiment is stressed even more in martial arts, along with self control. Silva knows this, he chooses to ignore it

I’ll tell you what disrespect is. Swearing at your opponent (in portuguese) during the fight. Trying to make the crowd mad at your opponent for not engaging while yourself not engaging and sometimes blatantly running away from the exchanges.

“Anderson Silva didn’t just disappoint his fans tonight, he lost (some of) them”. That was fight was pathetic and it’s 95% Silva’s fault. Maia went out in the last round with a broken nose and a swollen-shut eye and STILL exchanged. The same exchanges that Anderson just backed out of without doing anything (substantial).

Of course Anderson’s stand up is on another level. Everyone knows that. But he just doesn’t use it. He made a lot of ppl very angry tonight.

that Anderson disrespected him and cursed at him (using insults with racist undertones, according to a translator) during the fight. How messed up is that? There are actual rules in the UFC that state taunting and swearing is not allowed during a fight. Sure, it’s not enforced that often but I have never seen such disrespectful display since the days of Nick Diaz (who is a saint compared to what Anderson did).

I’ve been telling people this ever since the Roy Jones Jr. deal got shut down. Most people will never know what Anderson is doing in the cage. To understand you have to have actually had some fights and then be lucky enough to have trained with some of the few physical artists in the world. Most people need to just acknowledge that they don’t get it and leave Anderson alone.

Great Prince parallel, and your explanation of his behavior is on point.

But just as if I paid for a UFC PPV to watch Anderson perform or a Prince concert, DO YOUR JOB and entertain me.

A little showboating is cool, even taunting. But doing it for a couple rounds, then coasting for the last 2? That’s bullshit.

I don’t care if you’re bored, or you hate management, or you’re underpaid, or you got daddy issues.

At the end of the day, Anderson got a nice paycheck that he agreed to, and some money from each fan’s PPV buy.

So I go back to your Prince analogy, being the best singer ain’t shit if you ain’t putting out great music.

And as a fan, boredom is not a valid excuse for not putting out your best effort.

actually has exciting fights available for him at welterweight. It’s a division stacked with talent. People are at the same time disappointed in GSP’s performance against Dan Hardy then immediately criticize him for not moving up in weight since he dominates his competition. Well which is it because it’s clearly not both? I’m a big fan of GSP but I don’t think he needs to move up in weight since he doesn’t dominate the welterweight division the way Anderson Silva dominates middleweight. What is there for GSP at middleweight? He has two friends from his camp in middleweight then the other star, Anderson Silva. I won’t call anyone else a star at middleweight since many people like to say they’re so unworthy of Anderson Silva. So GSP either gets pummeled at MW or he gets lost in matchups that won’t have the drawing power as his WW matchups. And all it means is we lost a great welterweight fighter all for a “what if” at MW.

This article makes a cool comparison to Prince but it’s still not the truth because we don’t know what the truth is for Anderson Silva. It may be sad but it’s a fact that many people do not appreciate his behaviour in his fight against Maia and some prior fights. This will be reflected in PPV sales (unless he fights a big draw like Belfort on the main card).
 If Anderson Silva wants to challenge himself then there are plenty of stars at LHW. Wasn’t Dana White was enticing AS to move to LHW permanently by matching him with Irvin and Griffin? So what’s the holdup? Is UFC blocking him from permanently moving to LHW? Or is it that they wanted him to fight a few of the less-established fighters before fighting a Rampage Jackson or Wanderlei Silva (we know AS is friends with Machida) and AS didn’t like it?
 There was no call for his behaviour at UFC 112. Maia was a late substitution and UFC has been trying to set up the Belfort fight for AS for a long time. And it was still going to happen. UFC did not plan for AS to fight Maia until Belfort got injured (February?). So why should we think AS is feeling frustrated from being confined or purposely given poor matchups? UFC has been guaranteeing the Belfort matchup for several UFC’s but AS and Belfort both get surgery/injuries. That’s nobody’s fault.
 I’ve heard that team athletes have contractual obligations not to engage in overly risky extracurricular activities. Similarly, it’s perfectly reasonable for Dana White to refuse Anderson Silva a boxing match with Roy Jones, Jr. By the way, why didn’t AS choose a boxer that doesn’t have a glass jaw (lately) and isn’t way past his prime?
 Anderson Silva is the Mayweather Jr. of MMA – incredibly talented, unbeatably quick, a showboater, a counter-puncher who won’t engage, and a guy who wants to pick all his matchups. Does he think he’s a free agent or something?

But please read this article (below). I am not fan of A. Silva after reading it.

http://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk/news/viewarticle.php?id=4281

Anderson Silva is like an abusive spouse…

We don’t have to be codependent on Anderson Silva anymore. Please… don’t put up with his abuse anymore. Just let him go and do his thing while we focus our minds on other fights on the card. No matter what card that he ends up on. Anyone who is angry like I was: please let’s just calm our minds and push out all thoughts of Anderson Silva’s fighting/clowning.

I’ve hit the last of the five stages (I think it’s five): Acceptance. UFC and MMA in general would continue to thrive even if the UFC lost Anderson Silva to another organization. Of course, for UFC, the business side makes it more complicated. And it would be painful to lose out on knowing what it would be like for a true P4P for the ages like Silva could continue to accomplish in the octagon. That’s what hurts the most – the potential of seeing great victories where Anderson Silva thrashes every top ranked fighter put in front of him. But it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve all been let down by the fighter himself. Roy Jones, Jr., Mayweather, Jr.. Fighters who show brilliance but always find an excuse.

Well the UFC wouldn’t fade away even if Anderson Silva no longer headlined main events. There are many hungry fighters in the UFC and also trying to get into the UFC who will give it all they have in every fight.