Pat Militech defends Silva: "There's really no blame to anderson in that fight"

http://mmamania.com/2009/04/23/espn-...-ufc-97-video/

it's good to see a veteran like militech defending anderson. skip to the 8:00 mark to hear his thoughts

Anderson has been quoted saying he is fighting safe from now on.

Everyone should stop defending him or attacking him.

He had been hanging out with Machida and wants to be elusive. End of story.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by Crisco

Everyone should stop defending him or attacking him.

I agree with this. I think the whole topic got way out of hand, and sadly it's not over yet.

He fights and he wins.....so stfu >:O
Even though it is quite boring to watch at times

[VCURamFan]

Florian (I think it was him, anyway) made the same point that I've been trying to make: Anderson wants to keep his belt, so when you put him against guys who aren't dangerous, he's not going to extend himself. Put him against top flight competition and he'll step up. Maybe he'll need to go to LHW to find that competition now, but if the UFC keeps feeding him cans, he's not going to take the fights seriously & he'll just continue to coast to Ws.

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by VCURamFan

Florian (I think it was him, anyway) made the same point that I've been trying to make: Anderson wants to keep his belt, so when you put him against guys who aren't dangerous, he's not going to extend himself. Put him against top flight competition and he'll step up. Maybe he'll need to go to LHW to find that competition now, but if the UFC keeps feeding him cans, he's not going to take the fights seriously & he'll just continue to coast to Ws.

This is an excellent point, and completely true.

Although, in defense of the company, they ARE trying to some degree to walk that line and make this as much like a traditional sport as possible. So, even though having Silva fight Leites is basically feeding him a "can", Thales was still pretty much the next in line for the Middleweight Belt.

It's a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation.

[VCURamFan]

Originally Posted by JB Rattlesnake

This is an excellent point, and completely true.

Although, in defense of the company, they ARE trying to some degree to walk that line and make this as much like a traditional sport as possible. So, even though having Silva fight Leites is basically feeding him a "can", Thales was still pretty much the next in line for the Middleweight Belt.

It's a damned if they do, damned if they don't situation.

Yeah, you're right. It's a rough time for all involved: we occasionally have to watch lack-luster match-ups, Anderson has to spend a boring 29min in the cage & the UFC can't fast-track anyone because otherwise Dave will write angry e-mails!

[J.B.]

Originally Posted by VCURamFan

Dave will write angry e-mails!

You know it!

[Bonnie]

Originally Posted by VCURamFan

Florian (I think it was him, anyway) made the same point that I've been trying to make: Anderson wants to keep his belt, so when you put him against guys who aren't dangerous, he's not going to extend himself. Put him against top flight competition and he'll step up. Maybe he'll need to go to LHW to find that competition now, but if the UFC keeps feeding him cans, he's not going to take the fights seriously & he'll just continue to coast to Ws.

So, what's the deal....are they contractually obligated to take any fight that is brought to them by the UFC? If so, then I lay this kind of thing totally at the UFC's door for making bad matchups. If not, and the fighter has some say so, but still takes the fight, then I think he has some responsibility for taking the fight and an obligation to the paying customers to go out there and fight to win not just "coast".... And, I'm talking any/all fighters, not just Anderson.

And when they are forced to matchup strikers with wrestlers, etc...because one is the champ and the other next in line, like Nate and others have said maybe they need to have the "yellow" card when one or both are not "fighting".

yellow cards eh? Pride > UFC