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SILVA TRIES TO CEMENT “#1″ RANKING
By Charles Jay

BetUS MMA Betting Odds
UFC Unification Fight - Middleweight
March 1 — Columbus, O.

ANDERSON SILVA -140
DAN HENDERSON +110

The UFC has been touting Anderson Silva, its middleweight champion, as the “pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.” That’s something that seems kind of new with them. No doubt that’s intended to deflect a lot of the talk about Fedor Emilianenko (my choice) being the rightful holder of that distinction. Emilianenko is, naturally not a fighter signed to the UFC; in fact, the talk has been that Randy Couture, who has bolted the organization, is looking to make a fight with him. So the UFC is essentially like the kid who says “It’s my basketball. If I can’t play, I’m taking my basketball home.”

Silva has been given that #1 designation by Yahoo Sports, which, let’s just say, is “influenced” by the UFC. I’ve got nothing against them using that kind of thing for promotional purposes, but maybe it’s caused some public opinion to shift the odds in Henderson’s favor and maybe it hasn’t.

Silva is well-known for being able to use his hands. he is said to be one of the most proficient in the world. Personally, I was impressed with Henderson’s one-punch left hook knockout of Wanderlei Silva in Las Vegas at the last PRIDE show in the U.S. a year ago. And Henderson is going to be a very dangerous customer if he gets Silva on the canvas and gets to apply some of his wrestling technique.

I think there is something to be said for a fighter who can go in there with the best in not one, not two, but three different weight divisions, as Henderson has (welterweight, middleweight, light heavyweight). And he obviously did most of this in PRIDE, where fighter-for-fighter the competition was rougher than in the UFC.

Against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson he was probably a little too small, but he’s gotten back to the division that is “just right.” He is very durable, and might surprise some people with the way he can counter-strike Silva. The left hook that scored the KO over the “other” Silva was aas good as you’ll see from most world-class boxers. And frankly, most MMA fighters are not conditioned to take that kind of punch. I’ll side with the “upset” and go with Henderson.

JAY’S PLAY: HENDERSON (+110)