Wanderlei Silva will be heading into UFC 99 knowing that he must win if he is to dampen speculation that he is past it as a top-tier MMA fighter in the UFC. However, the task in front of him is one hell of a big one.

For me, Rich Franklin is the best middleweight in the world – with the exception of Anderson Silva. Problem is, Franklin is no longer regarded as a middleweight – he’s a light heavyweight – and Silva has struggled at 205lbs since his switch over from PRIDE. Here, Silva goes into the bout at a catchweight of 195lbs desperate for a win streak that will once again establish him as one of the deadliest fighters in the UFC. It’s a massive challenge ahead.

I think it’s fair to say that Franklin would have been a dominant champion in the UFC had Silva not found the bright lights of American and stayed in Japan. Of course, he has been tested – none more so than his last fight against Dan Henderson. That time, Franklin struggled on the mat as the world class Team Quest fighter continued to pressure him with slick punches and submissions. However, Franklin only lost that decision by a split from the judges and he’ll take heart from the fact that he went toe-to-toe with one of the greats in the sport today.

Wanderlei Silva’s stand up remains one of the best in MMA at the minute. The Brazilian may have aged, but his punching power and general ability is still world class. However, the biggest problem for Silva remains his chin, which looked remarkably weak against Quinton Jackson in his last fight. You have to question whether some of his recent scraps have finally took its toll on him. The knockout losses to Dan Henderson, Mirko Cro Cop and Rampage, may have caused more damage than originally thought. Throw in the fight with Chuck Liddell, where Silva absorbed several big shots and scrambled to a decision loss, and you can understand why the doubts are there about Silva’s long term future. If Franklin has done his homework, then he will want to test Silva’s chin early and make sure it’s as weak as predicted.

This is one of the biggest fights in Wanderlei Silva’s career. A win over Franklin will establish him as one of the key men in the middleweight division for the next eighteen months at least. He will have beaten one of world’s best middleweight fighters – albeit at a catchweight of 195lbs – and that will give him confidence to go in there with the likes of Bisping, Henderson and Marquardt and give it a go. If he can get through them unscathed, then there’s certainly no reason why he can’t get in there with Anderson Silva and take it to his fellow countryman.

Of course, if’s look great in hindsight. Silva will know that more than anyone. However, the Axe Murderer will need to stay on his game and be ready for a war if he is to reach the summit in the UFC middleweight division. A very interesting main event that should cap a great night of MMA action.

Martin Smith
martin@ifight365.com