Anderson Silva may be out of action for a little while due to injury, but the last couple weeks have seen some fights with title implications in the middleweight division. Here’s how the top 10 middleweights break down after recent events:
1: Anderson Silva
Record: 31-4 (won last 15)
Recent opponents: Yushin Okami, Vitor Belfort, Chael Sonnen
Upcoming: Unknown
The only thing to do now is to book Silva-Sonnen II. Sonnen has been the only person to do any damage to Silva, and a rematch would settle this feud once and for all.
2: Chael Sonnen
Record: 26-11-1 (won last 1)
Recent opponents: Brian Stann, Anderson Silva (loss), Nate Marquardt
Upcoming: Unknown
With his win over Brian Stann, Sonnen demonstrated that a long layoff did not affect his fighting game. The money match is a championship fight against Anderson Silva.
3: Yushin Okami
Record: 26-6 (lost last 1)
Recent opponents: Anderson Silva (loss), Nate Marquardt, Mark Munoz
Upcoming: Unknown
Okami awaits the next step after getting knocked out by Anderson Silva.
4: Nate Marquardt
Record: 31-10-2 (won last 1)
Recent opponents: Dan Miller, Yushin Okami (loss), Rousimar Palhares
Upcoming: Unknown
Marquardt is to make his BAMMA debut in December, opponent unknown.
5: Mark Munoz
Record: 11-2 (won last 3)
Recent opponents: Demian Maia, CB Dollaway, Aaron Simpson
Upcoming: vs Chris Leben @ UFC 138
Munoz is on a 3 fight win streak, and has been promoted to main event status.
6: Demian Maia
Record: 15-3 (won last 1)
Recent opponents: Jorge Santiago, Mark Munoz (loss), Kendall Grove
Upcoming: Unknown
The jiujitsu ace got back on the winning track with a victory over Sengoku champ Jorge Santiago.
7: Luke Rockhold
Record: 8-1 (won last 7)
Recent opponents: Ronaldo Souza, Paul Bradley, Jesse Taylor
Upcoming: Unknown
In a close fight that went to the judges, Rockhold edged Jacare Souza to win the Strikeforce middleweight championship.
8: Ronaldo Souza
Record: 14-3-1 (lost last 1)
Recent opponents: Luke Rockhold (loss), Robbie Lawler, Tim Kennedy
Upcoming: Unknown
Jacare suffered his 1st loss in Strikeforce, bringing his title reign to an end.
9: Brian Stann
Record: 11-4 (lost last 1)
Recent opponents: Chael Sonnen (loss), Jorge Santiago, Chris Leben
Upcoming: Unknown
Stann was unable to catapult himself into elite status, getting choked out by Chael Sonnen at UFC 136.
10: Jorge Santiago
Record: 23-10 (lost last 2)
Recent opponents: Demian Maia (loss), Brian Stann (loss), Kauzo Misaki
Upcoming: Unknown
Santiago might put on entertaining fights, but he hasn’t been able to win in the UFC.
If Anderson is mostly healthy, he should be able to stop the takedowns or reverse position easier.
Perhaps they should juice up both guys for the rematch. It would be fair and we would see Silva at his true best.
While I would pay to see something like that, I don’t think society would like this, and the government would not sanction it. But I guess they could do something like that in Japan.