Anderson Silva Set to Draw Big on His "Final Run"
by Michael Rome on Aug 12, 2009 9:04 PM EDT
in MMA News
Email
Print
Throughout his dominant UFC career, the knock on Anderson Silva has been his drawing ability, or lack thereof. His two fights with Rich Frankin did buyrates in the 300,000 range, and his fight with Dan Henderson did only slightly better. Then in July 2008, the UFC put together a monster campaign on his behalf leading into his fight with James Irvin, and Silva came through with a memorable highlight knockout. The show did a big rating for Spike TV, and everyone thought Silva was on the path to being a big draw. Then Patrick Cote happened.
The show did only 300,000 buys, and the main event was a complete dud. Everyone assumed at that point Silva's days as a draw were over, and his maddening performance at UFC 97 only furthered that perception. Now that UFC 101 is in the books, everything has changed.
Leading indicators on UFC 101 look very good. A couple of trending patterns put it right up there with the UFC's top shows at the end of 2008 in terms of overall interest, and traffic at this website the night of the show was almost as huge as it was for UFC 100. It's early, but it looks like like the show may have done over 800,000 buys. Dave Meltzer implied in his newsletter today that it might have even done a million buys. With that huge audience, Silva put on a legendary performance that will never be forgotten. His first fight with Dan Henderson did 325,000 buys; a rematch would probably do a minimum of 500,000.
Anderson Silva still won't draw opposite guys like Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt, but if he's against a charismatic underdog that fans believe in they will pay to see it. Fights with Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz would probably do a lot of business, and fights with GSP or Randy Couture would almost surely break the million buy threshold.
We hear a lot about Anderson's pending retirement, but I am skeptical he will really stop fighting in 3 fights. He's been upset with poor payouts on his contract because his shows haven't done that well, but if he starts making millions of dollars per fight like he will for UFC 101, I suspect he will reconsider. Two or three UFC fights that draw like this will net him more than any fight with Roy Jones would, and he's obviously still at his athletic peak. The threat to leave and fight Roy Jones is an effective tool that got Silva a better contract, and it will probably be used again to get an even better contract. With so many big fights on the horizon and so much money on the table, Anderson Silva probably isn't going anywhere.
73 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Yeah, besides, Tito wants to see Silva vs. Belfort:
“Wow! That’s all I got to say. Vitor at 185 pounds. I don’t know. I see him beating the, uh, what was it, Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart because you have two great boxers, and, man, that was amazing. That was the old Vitor Belfort that we all want to see. Him at 131 years old. He’s back for vengeance.”
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
Tito said on video he wants to test Anderson Silva.
Do I think it would be competitive? I’d pick Silva for sure. But if Tito steamrolls Coleman and they book this fight, it’s another 1 million buy fight. Silva vs. Belfort is 400,000 at best. Business considerations matter.
by Michael Rome on Aug 12, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions
That’s the only way Cheeto could win, old fashioned Tito Ortiz grinding decision.
He could do pretty well against Silva unless he get the idea in his head that he’s a kickboxer.
Keep firing Assholes!
Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.
"fights with GSP or Randy Couture would almost surely break the million buy threshold."
that’s something that’s been on the tip of my tongue for a while now. has randy talked at all about moving back down to 205? personally, if he beats nog, i’d much rather see him fight silva, than rematch lesnar. he’ll get brutalize by either guy, but i’d be interested to see what kinda of gameplan he would put together for silva. assuming he’d have an opportunity to execute it… unlike forrest.
I’d rather see him fight Anderson myself since they are the same size. One thing that’s really bothered me is people assuming that Forrest losing a striking battle to Anderson means that great wrestlers have no chance against him. And these are people that are usually smart.
There’s kind of an easy sell if Randy beats Nog. At that point both of them will have beaten the other’s training partner and close friend, not to mention the natural underdog sell. I dunno, I think it would be fun.
by Michael Rome on Aug 12, 2009 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
honestly, I think anderson v. randy could do big business even if randy loses to nog. Everybody loves randy.
by willydynamite on Aug 12, 2009 11:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I’d watch, but it’s not going to happen. Randy is too old and I don’t think he’d want to get murdered by silva.
'Ello G'vnor!
Why not? He wants to get murdered by Machida.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:21 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Fights with Tito and Randy would do huge numbers, no doubt. From a competition standpoint, ones with Rampage and GSP really peak my interest. All these guys are great wrestlers. All probably have a decent chance due to this fact. But although he’s the smallest, I like GSP’s chances the best. Amazing as Silva is as a striker, I think GSP is equally as impressive in the way he’s able to force a fight to the ground, culminating in him doing serious damage from top position. All of the sudden there are a lot of potentially awesome fights for Silva.
this card sold because bj penn and forrest… not anderson silva. I don’t think THAT much has changed in terms of drawing power with silva. If you put him up against an opponent that can sell then he will be fine but other than that no. Hes not a Chuck, Tito, or Brock thats going to sell no matter who he fights.
It depends on what the people watching thought about his performance…I don’t think the fans love him any more than they did before…because Forrest is a worldwide favorite…and he tore his face off.
I don’t care, I like Anderson, so he’ll alway have my buy.
Also, am I the only one shocked this event did that good? I guess I underestimated Penn’s drawing power.
"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate
by Kaleb Kelchner on Aug 12, 2009 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions
I too am surprised by the buys. The only fight that I was honestly interested in was the Silva vs Griffin fight. I already assumed that Penn would beat Florian, and the undercard fights really don’t mean too much to their respective divisions. I wonder how much of it was Penn, and how much of it was new fans from UFC 100?
by chrisbboy82 on Aug 13, 2009 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions
It's called a "bait n switch"
Yes, people bought the PPV for Forrest and BJ, but obviously people will be impressed enough by Anderson to see and pay to see him fight again. Another example of a bait n switch is UFC 98 where many of the buys probably came from Matt Hughes and the Light Heavyweight Title being defended, but people were left with seeing Lyoto Machida dominate the former Champion, Evans. It’s pretty much coming in to see one thing, and coming out being impressed or having a lasting impression on something totally different.
by chrisbboy82 on Aug 13, 2009 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions
me personally
Am very suprised the show did this much. Good thing because bj and spider get the cut it would suck to get paid when two marquee fighters blow a ppv.
If anderson really intends to retire in 3 fights I really hope Randy beats nog and then end of the year fights anderson. That’s a huge fight. Before that happens I want to see what Randy weighs in at for the nog fight. After that I would love cro cop vs anderson fight in which it would probably be at a catch weight I would assume at 215 since I’m not sure how willing mirko is to cut. That’s If mirko beats dos Santos by the way. Those are just two of many fights I want. I also want anderson vs shogun, rampage, jardine, vitor and hell ill say it vs tito
"What do you want from me?..... A Slap?"
by xtremecouture on Aug 12, 2009 10:00 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Mirko beats Dos Santos for me. However, Cro Cop will not cut, he has mentioned this a few times.
I think you have a better chance if seeing Couture v Mirko than Silva v Mirko. Especislli if they are both victorious in Aug & Sept.
by Rob J Nathan on Aug 13, 2009 12:08 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Sorry about the spelling, man I hate mobile posting. It makes me feel cheap & used…
by Rob J Nathan on Aug 13, 2009 12:09 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
" With so many big fights on the horizon and so much money on the table, Anderson Silva probably isn't going anywhere."
No, one zing on his record—say against Couture—and his stock plummets. he’ll most likely end up like Penn: sticking to his own division.
What impact does this potentially being Anderson's "Final Run" play on his draw?
Anderson has given the impression that he may be done after three more. I would think that if he does not sway from this stance (even if he does renegotiate after the last), that would significantly add to his draw— especially if the next three are against charismatic and worthy opponents. Each fight becomes becomes an instant draw by the very fact that it is one of the last threee.
I can only imagine how big his “final fight” will be if it is marketed as such, and I can only wonder who his opponent will be.
Of every fight possible I think a Machida match up would be the worst. I know he said they’ll never fight, and for good reason. I just think it would be incredibly boring to watch the 2 best counter-strikers in the game play cat-n-mouse for 25 minutes.
by Screwface on Aug 12, 2009 10:36 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
It might be boring to the casual viewers from the purely visual aspect, but I think from a tactical standpoint, and a style-vs-style standpoint, it’d be entertaining as hell.
The UFC could probably just have a 1 hour special about an extended sparring match between the two. They are good friends and training partners and would never fight anyway.
I would watch a Silva/Machida sparring match.
Keep firing Assholes!
Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.
as would i
I'm like PacMan fightin you silly kids... throw ya Hatton the ring, and get knocked outlike Ricky did.
lol.
Reading this, an idea jumped out of my head. They can put him on free TV again to expose him to more viewers (and the new fans he got after Saturday) against one of the lower rung contenders for a fight against him now (okami, marquardt or maia). Maybe on a european tape delay ppv like ufc 85. He could tear thru a would be contender and gain more eyeballs in the process.
I’m sure money and not wanting to be on a euro ppv would cause this not to happen tho.
by willydynamite on Aug 12, 2009 11:33 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
that could backfire horribly
if the fighter he goes up against does the leites or cote thing.
better idea would be to highlight him in episodes of ufc unleashed, like what they did with bj penn last weekend, showed his fights with gsp (first fight), matt hughes, sean sherk, joe stevenson… they were all amazing fights.
well yeah...
If the fight is boring or if he gets upset, it could definitely end up badly.
And now that you mentioned the possibility of a boring fight, that’d immediately would rule out okami, haha. I’m pretty okay with that rematch happening. Honestly I’d rather see him rematch chonan since that was about as embarrassing as it was for forrest saturday. That won’t happen either tho, and I’m okay with that also.
Your idea was also good. Anything to get him on free tv. An ep of Unleashed with fights against ace, hendo, marquardt, leben, irvin, and forrest would show what a killer he usually is.
They can also do one of those 24/7 type shows highlighting him.
He can also help his own cause by continuing to further learn and speak english. Saturday was a good start but he needs more.
When the fans can tell that a fighter is trying to learn english for them, it endears the fighter to the audience.
It totally worked with lyoto machida. Once he coupled exciting finishes with ever improving english, his stock skyrocketed.
Also, more people need to see him do his michael jackson and bruce lee impressions. That would show he has personality.
But now I’m just spitballing ideas in hopes anybody with any kind of"influence might see this, haha.
by willydynamite on Aug 13, 2009 12:10 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I hope this makes sense…I’m a little nick diaz’d out tonight.
by willydynamite on Aug 12, 2009 11:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Forrest, BJ, Anderson… none of these guys are responsible for the great numbers on UFC 101.
It’s the video game. people are underestimating the impact the game has had. Sure there’s spill over from 100 but the game also impacted that card… it was one of many factors that was just stacked on top of each other that blew the roof off… but the sustaining ppv growth is directly correlated with the video game.
The Video Game is having such a big impact – it’s like the perfect conversion vehicle for this target demo.
3 million copies will be infecting the populous… AN ARMY OF UFC NUTHUGGERS ARE BEING BRED AND CULTIVATED.
by mmalogic on Aug 13, 2009 12:16 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Interesting angle.
To add to this, those gamers aren’t just fans, but educated fans. A similar thing happened with the Madden games. Gamers came away understanding intricacies of football plays they never would have understood watching the broadcasts alone. Anything that helps get us away from calls for stand-ups and booing during the ground game has my support.
I concur.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Aug 13, 2009 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Video game or not, Rich Franklin vs. Vitor isn’t going to draw shit.
The UFC explosion on PPV started before the game. 92, 93, and 97 all did way above what they should have done.
The game is part of the story, but fans paid to see if Forrest Griffin could defeat the best fighter in the world. If they believe in the challenger, they will pay to see Anderson fight.
by Michael Rome on Aug 13, 2009 1:38 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
So Michael, what are your guesses for buys on 102 and 103? I bet they are both going to be higher than most people would think just looking at the cards. I’m gonna say 615,000 for 102 and 475,000 for 103. I may be way off but I think we’re in a new era of Zuffa domination that started with 91 and 92 and culminated in the huge number that 100 drew. From here on out I see 400,000 buys being the absolute minimum for even the crappiest European tape-delayed cards and any event with a name like Rampage, Penn, or Couture is gonna pull 600-800,000 every time. I was considering doing a fanpost on this idea but haven’t found the time yet, hopefully soon.
And great article Michael, I’d love to see something like this after every major PPV.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Am I the only one who thinks Nate the Great has a good chance against Anderson?
I thought he looked really good in his last 2 fights.
"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock
Has Nate improved since their last fight? Yes. Does that mean he can beat Silva? No shot. Tell me one thing that Marquardt does better than Silva. Take your time……
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:31 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i want to see his words
I dont mean in any sense to question anybodies speculations or opinions, but i am not a frequent poster but i check this site daily to see whats going on. so here, where and when are these different speculations about anderson silvas career being recorded on sites such as this, i only ask because i want to read about what he is saying about all of these different things such as his retirement, roy jones, and such, i know there are posts of his words and quotes on these topics, can anybody maybe link the posts where his comments and his managers comments are made so i can get a little more insight onto what has actually been said?
Watch Trailer Park Boys
Just type Anderson Silva in the search box
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:32 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Coulture vs. Silva
Now that is an interesting match-up. I really don’t want to see Randy get beat up though. So my dream Silva fight is……Hong Man Choi!
I still don't think Silva alone is enough of a draw.
Much like how Dana kept saying Mayweather alone wasn’t a draw, but Mayweather against another great fighter would be a draw, this is how I see Silva at this point. I think people will pay to watch Silva fight what is perceived to be a competitive fight. I think people really thought Forrest could beat Silva. Not so much as it turns out. Silva isn’t like Liddell where people will pay regardless just to see him. I can’t place my finger on it, but there are some things about Silva that I think turn people off.
I love me some Sexyama!
I’ll place your finger on it- he doesn’t speak English and looks black. That’s not being racist, it’s just the truth. If Travis Lutter had accomplished the things that Anderson Silva has then he’d be as big a draw as Randy Couture or Tito Ortiz.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:36 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I agree with the doesn't speak english part
but the looks black part is way off considering some of the other popular fighters that “look black”.
Really? Like who? All the big PPV draws in recent history are white- GSP, Liddell, Ortiz, Couture, Lesnar. Rampage is the only dark skinned fighter to have much of a following and he is a couple steps below the guys I listed.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 12:57 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Anderson Silva has reminded me of Ernesto Hoost since the early days, and the only thing that I can advise for Silva is to secure his legacy at his weight class and only take HUGE fights at 205 from now on.
That’s what Ed Soares keeps repeating, we want the biggest fights. I think what they’re really saying is we want the biggest names, biggest shows, greater challenges and I guess more money.
He definitely proved his worth, and they have a great argument against accepting Dan Henderson as their next opponent.
Silva’s next 185lbs. opponent should be
Henderson vs. Winner (Maia vs. Marquardt)
Daily MMA Drawings starts Aug 10th!
http://www.scritchandscratch.com/blog
by VeeisAnimated on Aug 13, 2009 8:58 AM EDT up reply actions
“He definitely proved his worth, and they have a great argument against accepting Dan Henderson as their next opponent.”
No they don’t, if he wants more money like you say then there’s nobody out there right now for him to fight that will get more buys than Henderson. Do you really think the winner of Maia-Marquardt would earn him a bigger payday than Hendo coming off his win against Bisping at 100?
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:40 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
henderson will get more buys
if he beats the winner of maia vs marquardt.
No
Henderson will never draw more than he will right now coming off his destruction of Bisping.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 10:05 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed.
There is virtually no chance he will get the kind of highlight reel KO he got against Bisping against either Maia or Nate.
Seems to me that its more likely the LW title fight, BJ Penn, Forrest Griffin and just plain momentum from the previous cards were more likely reasons for the PPV buys of 101. I get that an increased exposure to Silva;s awesomeness will win him a few more fans but like you said yourself, he will only draw when matched a partner that can also draw interest. He cant carry cards on his own, or anywhere even close.
I don’t think u guys are getting the point. If I understand him correctly Roms isn’t giving Silva credit for pulling the big number for 101, he’s saying after his dominating performance against a big name in front of a huge audience he should be a bigger draw from here on out, especially against bigger names.
Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.
by ufc4 on Aug 13, 2009 9:56 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Im getting his point, but if he is not trying to give credit to Silva for 101s ratings then the following is misleading:
<blockquoteThe show did only 300,000 buys, and the main event was a complete dud. Everyone assumed at that point Silva’s days as a draw were over, and his maddening performance at UFC 97 only furthered that perception. Now that UFC 101 is in the books, everything has changed.>
Its a natural assumption to make that that is the point trying to be conveyed. Regardless, my second point covers your other point. I agree that the increased exposure will make him more of a ‘draw’, but the headline to this article says ‘draw big’, yet goes on to make the point that he will only draw against people that are actual draws (which I agree with). Therefore the notion that he is now a ‘big draw’ seems a bit silly to me. Brock Lesnar vs Minowaman would do more ppvs than Siva vs Hendo.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
MMA Rankings
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
