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Griffin and Silva tangle in Philly!!

Anderson wanted “big fights” and he’s getting a big fight. He’s got a date with UFC golden boy, Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 in Philedelphia.

There’s no way Silva can sit back and not engage until the other guy engages, because that’s not Griffin’s style. Griffin said it himself, he’s not a knockout guy, he’s not a “jits” guy, he’s just an all-around, “wear you out” kind of guy. He won’t be flopping on his back like Thales Leites, hoping to engage Silva. Silva will need to engage and drastically change his tactic.

This is a smart move on the UFC’s part. If Griffin wins, their poster boy is back on track to a title shot, having defeated one of the top pound-for-pound guys in the world. If Silva wins, he picks up a win over the former 205lb Champ, and a title shot at 205lbs is sure to follow. Plus, it will put some lustre back on Silva’s star, lustre he lost with lacklustre performances against Patrick Cote and Thales Leites. Enough use of the word, “lustre” for you?

Besides, a loss wouldn’t hurt Griffin. He’s like teflon and unless he lost to 3 or 4 guys in a row, the UFC will still back him. It’s a win, win, win for the UFC. There’s a “place to go” if you will, if either guy wins…unlike their curious UFC 96 main event pitting Quinton Jackson vs Keith Jardine.

After middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s less than impressive showing against Thales Leites the UFC realizes they need to start putting up bigger names for Silva to fight. Silva’s performance likely was his not-so-subtle way of letting them know he isn’t pleased fighting middle of the road 185′ers.

UFC Prez Dana White stated at the UFC 97 presser that if St. Pierre gets past Thiago Alves at UFC 100, Silva vs St. Pierre is a definate possibility. He stressed however that Alves was a huge test for St. Pierre, as long as he made the damn weight. Ok, he didn’t say that, but that dude is just way too big for welterweight.

With the UFC imposing retirement for their top draw Chuck Liddell, that is one less superfight option available to Silva. I think the UFC needs to make the Silva/St. Pierre happen regardless of the outcome of GSP’s fight at UFC 100. Has he not proven enough that no 170lb guy can really challenge him?

It would be just about the biggest fight the UFC could put on, and REALLY get Silva’s engine going. He has never taken Franklin, Hendo, Irvin or Marquardt lightly, which kind of spells out to me that he didn’t take Cote/Leites seriously.