UFC183 The Spider Man Returns!!
LAS VEGAS -- Watching Anderson Silva's recent workout inside the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, you would never have known this was the man who shattered his left leg during a cage fight 13 months ago.
Silva (33-6) returns to the Octagon this weekend in a non-title middleweight bout against Nick Diaz at UFC 183. It's his first appearance since he broke two bones in his leg during a loss to Chris Weidman in December 2013.
The former UFC champion broke a hard sweat for the public Wednesday, possibly in an attempt to prove a point. As Silva threw one hard kick after another with his injured left leg, a member of his camp standing to the side said, "I think he's making a point to show people this."
For the record, Silva is done talking about his leg. The injury is in the past, he says, and Saturday marks a "rebirth" in his career.
Incredibly, there is barely even a scar to remind anyone the injury occurred. Only a small incision mark near Silva's left kneecap, where a surgeon inserted a titanium rod, which remains in his tibia bone today.
[+] EnlargeDonald Miralle/Getty ImagesHave we seen the last of Anderson Silva as a dominant fighter or does he have one trick left up his sleeve?
All of this -- the injury, the year of rehab and the return Saturday -- neatly sums up two things about Silva: He's capable of accomplishing truly extraordinary feats, but he is very much human.
"The night he got hurt, you wondered if the guy would ever fight again," UFC president Dana White told ESPN.com. "Obviously, he was going to get the best medical attention you can, but I think one of the things he never really got credit for and people still forget today is his age. He's almost 40 years old now."
It's an ironic point to make, that at the same time there is celebration over Silva's return, there is an awareness that his career is in its latter stages.
White is known for stating one day, a fighter wakes up old. That day for Silva could come at any minute. Despite how young he moved Wednesday, there's a chance it already did.
"You remember the time period when there was talk about Michael Jordan retiring?" White said. "I tried to watch more Jordan games during that. I tried to watch more basketball that year. That's how I feel about Anderson right now."
Ed Soares, Silva's longtime manager, doesn't like to think about it. When asked to describe his emotions on Silva turning 40 this year, Soares smiles. Silva was in his late 20s when the two met.
"I think that's life," Soares said. "I don't really like to think about it too much.
"I am a little nervous for this fight -- but I'm always nervous. I just want to see him go out there and get that W again. At the end of the day, he's like a brother to me."
One of Silva's longtime teammates, Damaso Pereira, said Silva's goal is definitely to reclaim his 185-pound title. Pereira said Silva's leg is "200 percent" and he's "more focused than ever before in his career."
Maybe Silva has one more magic trick up his sleeve. Maybe, despite his age and a horrific injury, he has got one more title run in him.
Saturday isn't really about that, though. Saturday is about watching Anderson Silva fight one more time. As White puts it, having Jordan back for one more night.
"Anderson has just always had this martial arts way about him," White said. "His personality, his demeanor -- Anderson is just different. He's one of a kind. The guy speaks real softly and does that giggle thing he does -- and then he goes out there and it is just f---ing unbelievable how he can fight.
"You knew he was going to pull something out you haven't seen before every time."
MAIN EVENT: MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Anderson Silva
@SpiderAnderson | Age: 39
Ht.: 6-2 | Wt.: 185
Record: 33-6
Rank: No. 7 pound-for-pound
Odds: minus-470 (favorite)
VS.Nick Diaz
@nickdiaz209 | Age: 31
Ht.: 6-0 | Wt.: 185
Record: 26-9
Rank: No. 9 welterweight
Odds: plus-375 (underdog)
Breakdown: I'm not saying Nick Diaz is tailor-made for Anderson Silva -- but I'm not not saying it either.
Stylistically, this all favors Silva. He's bigger, longer, faster. He's facing an opponent who has always valued offense over defense. Diaz has a range he likes to fight at and he'll stay in it. He's not going to shoot for takedowns or sit on the outside and dart in -- he's going to fight at a boxing range. He's a durable, accurate volume striker with an impeccable gas tank.
Those attributes just don't match up favorably against the counterpunching Silva, who will set traps all day on Diaz. His length and jab pose problems for Diaz on the outside and his size and clinch work pose issues inside.
Two questions regarding Silva: 1. Will he throw left leg kicks with as much as confidence as he used to? 2. How is his chin?
I believe he will throw left leg kicks almost as if the injury never happened. And Diaz isn't known for checking kicks or even trying to avoid them. The chin question is actually more intriguing. Silva has been incredibly durable throughout his career, but he was knocked out cold in the first Chris Weidman fight and dropped in the second.
If the chin is gone, Diaz is good enough to take advantage -- undersized or not.
Prediction: Unless Silva's chin is completely shot, I'm not seeing many paths to victory for Diaz. He's still one of the best welterweights in the world, but this is a middleweight fight and the deck is stacked against him. The "Stockton slap" is not going to cut it against a counterpuncher the caliber of Silva. SILVA BY KNOCKOUT, ROUND 2.
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