Wanderlei Silva to Drop to 185

by Nick Thomas on Jan 3, 2009 11:50 AM EST Comment 48 comments

Wanderleisilvack9_medium

http://www.mmabay.co.uk/Story%2000210.html

Sources close to the aggressive Brazilian EXCLUSIVELY revealed to MMABay that he will be moving to 185 pounds after spending the last couple of years fighting bigger men and coming up short.

Great news. =)

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If they match him up carefully they can build him back up… I don’t think he is a top 5 fighter in this division either

by dbcb on Jan 3, 2009 11:56 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Name 4 UFC MW contenders better than Wand.

Brad Ziegler had a scoreless inning streak. Brad Ziegler had not met BJ Upton.

by P Brady on Jan 3, 2009 12:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not including Anderson? Marquardt, Maia…. fuck, I guess you got me.

We’ll have to see – I’ve never seen him this small.

by subo on Jan 3, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d go Marquardt, Maia (maybe, I’m most unsure of this one), Okami, Franklin and Henderson if they come back down, and I can see Michael Bisping being competitive.

by Rundownloser on Jan 3, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He won't fight Maia, so it's moot

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 2:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I kind of see Wandy murdering Okami. Where the line is between wishes and actual predictions, I can’t say. But that’s what I see happening.

by subo on Jan 3, 2009 3:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wandy is a bad style matchup

for anybody that wants to clinch or infight with him other than Hendo and Olympic caliber wrestlers that WILL take him down.

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 3, 2009 10:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We won’t know where he is in the division until he fights somebody there. Hopefully they softball it a little bit.

by Rundownloser on Jan 3, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn't name any for sure

Possibly Silva, Possibly Hendo, after that there are none.

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 3, 2009 12:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Possibly Spider? What is with this blind love for Wand? Yes he WAS awesome… was.

He throws wild, looping strikes. Spider would knock him the fuck out, 1st round.

If any other fighter lost 5 out of his last 8, people would be telling him to retire

by dbcb on Jan 3, 2009 12:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

There’s precedence. He’ll be a big 185er and can provide some power that is sorely lacking (among the more prominent jits of the upper echelon of the 185 division). It’s a good move and he could do well there, seeing that there’s no future for him at 205.

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 2:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Anderson's weapons are his knees

Wands weapons are his knees. Thats why its possibly better.

Gimme 1 Round!

by skwirrl on Jan 3, 2009 10:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Anderson would destroy Wanderlei. I take no joy in saying that.

by Rundownloser on Jan 3, 2009 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A fight with Anderson would be great but Wand needs at least 2 wins at Middleweight for that to be credible.

by kp the ghost on Jan 3, 2009 12:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Actually, I find the move a little curious. Has he been losing because of his size? It seems to me that his most pressing problems are that he consistently drops his right hand while throwing a left, which allows people to hit him in his deteriorating chin.

Hopefully I’m wrong and he finds success again at that weight.

by Rundownloser on Jan 3, 2009 12:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Who would’ve guessed :)

He needs to rehabilitate his chin… The main problem for him at 185 will be speed.

and one semi tune up fight is all you get.

by mmalogic on Jan 3, 2009 12:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

How about Bisping?

That way, we can test Wand’s speed, without testing his chin. That would be a pretty big draw since half of the MMA world would like to see Bisping get KTFO.

Being overrated is overrated.

by bobby g on Jan 3, 2009 1:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

As someone who enjoys watching Bisping fight, I’d like to see that fight.

Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats." - H.L. Mencken

by Richard Wade on Jan 3, 2009 1:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But as someone who cares about his physical well-being? I rooted for this fight solely because I’d like to see Bisping get hurt (nothing to do with his fighting style, more just… him).

by subo on Jan 3, 2009 1:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have no desire to see him get hurt.

by Richard Wade on Jan 3, 2009 2:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Neither do I

But I’d hope (know) he gets mashed up. Maybe now those two can be the coaches on TUF like Rome had previously suggested.

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 2:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That would be excellent.

by Richard Wade on Jan 3, 2009 2:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, to clarify, I don’t mean hurt=injury. Mashed up is a much better way to describe it. I don’t wish injury upon anyone.

by subo on Jan 3, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bisping stock has gone up seeing as how good Rashad is…

IF you recall their fight Rashad couldnt do much to bisping.

by mmalogic on Jan 3, 2009 4:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not the same Rashad

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 4:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

From a selling point of view, that’s not an issue. Still close enough in time for it to be credible.

by ununkvadrium on Jan 4, 2009 10:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think that a fight with Leben might be better. Although Leben has power, he doesn’t have much accuracy. But what Wand should be more worried about is accuracy: his chin multiplies the power of any shot that hits, making the more accurate striker the more dangerous one, especially given his own predilection towards haymakers and vicious hooks.

A fight with Leben would 1) be a against a guy with name recognition, 2) who he should be able to beat if the cut goes well. It may be a better 2nd fight (allowing Leben to get a win in the interim), just to see how the cut works for him. And man would it be a friggin war. It could easily be the main event on a European card or the 3rd fight, like Jackson/Wand was at 92.

by Rundownloser on Jan 3, 2009 1:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Why would he drop down if Demian Maia is basically working his way to being champion in that division? IF Wand suceeds there he’d have to eventually go against him and I know those two aren’t going to do that.

There are still a lot of great fights for him at 205lbs and I don’ really think he should drop down.

by Discman2 on Jan 3, 2009 1:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It’s crowded at 205 and he doesn’t desire to be a gatekeeper. If he doesn’t find title-contention level success at 185, he can travel between the two divisions to take interesting fights. He’s prolonging his career, good on him..

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 2:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

He has friends in nearly every division, more at 205 than 185. He trains with Forrest all the time, Shogun is there, etc.

by Michael Rome on Jan 3, 2009 3:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s awesome. That means his sole purpose in LHW was to butcher Keith Jardine. Well done!

by Heenan on Jan 3, 2009 2:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’m skeptical until the UFC announces it. Anything from MMA Bay has to be viewed with suspicion.

by Michael Rome on Jan 3, 2009 3:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Really? Are they not too reliable?

by Rundownloser on Jan 3, 2009 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So I guess we can count on seeing Anderson vs. Wandy three times. He’s just going to destroy all the contenders.

by steveoc24 on Jan 3, 2009 3:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Wands first fight has to be against someone with little to no chance of being able to knock him out.

by mmalogic on Jan 3, 2009 4:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Bisping it is!

by subo on Jan 3, 2009 4:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Seems like Okami or Thales Leites would be the right fight.

Both tough guys at the top of the 185 class, neither with KO power. Of course, if they really wanna rebuild Wand, give him Quarry or something.

by Michael Rome on Jan 3, 2009 6:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Quarry

That actually sounds about right. I don’t think he’ll be tasked with eliminating a potential contender in his first bout.

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 7:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You think Quarry is that much of a gimmie for him? Quarry could catch him.

by lbk on Jan 3, 2009 9:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Same could be said of anyone

And I say that because Quarry can’t catch Wand.

by Blackout612 on Jan 3, 2009 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don;‘t think it’s going to help Silva at all. He just looks like a huge shadow of his former self at this point. Should be interesting to see, but I don’t buy it.

by lbk on Jan 3, 2009 4:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I hope

Dan Henderson loses, so I can see Wanderlei vs. Dan III. That fight needs to be finished so we know who the best fighter is.

by "Mr. NC-17" on Jan 3, 2009 8:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Henderson is so overrated. So sick of hearing how great he is blah blah. Franklin is going to KO him.

by lbk on Jan 3, 2009 9:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Rich Franklin is going to do something that Wanderlei Silva, Anderson Silva, Quinton Jackson, Vitor Belfort, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Murilo Rua, Ricardo Arona, Renato Sobral, Gilbert Yvel, and others have failed to do? Doubtful.

"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill

by FlyByKnight on Jan 3, 2009 9:57 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs