I hate being right. Well, sometimes... rarely. Anyway, my good buddy and huge Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fan Simone asked me what was going to happen with Anderson Silva's (33-5 MMA, 16-1 UFC) middleweight championship fight against the impressive Chris Weidman (10-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC).
I told her, "you know what? I think Silva will underestimate Weidman. I think he will get shocked."
Now, Weidman is etched in history as the man who had done the impossible and beaten perhaps the greatest champion of all time, Anderson Silva. Truly, I wasn't shocked. Okay I was, but not really. This is the Spider we are talking about after all - the man who makes some of the best fighters in the world look like Bantha Fodder (Google it). However, let me tell you why I told Simone that Silva would lose - because he rarely loses.
Sounds silly? The truth is it's difficult for a fighter to continue to improve when you are demolishing the competition. You begin to walk the fine line between training to win, and training to "not lose", which are two different things. Just ask Weidman. Motivation becomes a constant challenge. You start to wonder: "Why am I training so hard... no one can beat me." "Why do I have to do these techniques over and over again... I'm the most accurate striker in the history the of MMA." "Why am I cutting so much pounds when I could be eating chicken-in-the-bag and conch fritters?". You get the drift.
Frankly, I think Silva was just bored. Weidman did not trash talk the champ at all, and he was presented as the former champ's next victim by all the media, even though had maintained an undefeated record. One thing is for sure - no one wants a rematch more than Weidman. He is eager to put the disbelievers and conspiracy theorists to rest, and cement his name in history as the man who really, really defeated 'The Legend'.
However, at this moment, it seemed as if Silva was not interested in fighting again anytime soon, and hinted at taking some time off. Silva, who is 38, recently signed a new 10-fight Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contract, and quickly dismissed questions about a potential retirement. "No, no, I have 10 more fights, but I don't fight anymore for the belt. I'm tired," he said. "I've fought for a long time. My (plan) for the belt is finished tonight. Chris is the new champion."
Dana White is unconvinced, stating "Anderson Silva has (losses) on his record, (but) Anderson Silva doesn't know what it feels like to lose." White said those words at the post-fight press conference. "I guarantee you he wants that rematch with Chris Weidman."
I guess only time will tell.
The remainder of UFC 162 Pay-Per-View card turned out to be a success, including two very entertaining bouts between featherweights Cub Swanson and Dennis Swiver, and featherweights Frankie Edgar and Charles Oliveira. Swanson (20-5 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Swiver (21-9 MMA, 10-6 UFC) battled back and forth into the third round before Swanson finally caught the German and stopped him for his fifth straight victory.
Edgar (16-4-1 MMA, 10-4-1 UFC) fought a three-round fight for the first time after seven straight title fights, and took a unanimous decision from Oliveira (16-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC). These two fights shared the fight of the night award and each fighter won a $50,000 bonus.
The other two fights were a pair of decision wins by Tim Kennedy (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Mark Munoz (13-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC). They defeated Roger Gracie (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and Tim Boetsch (16-6 MMA, 7-5 UFC) respectively.
So, what's today's lesson for all fighters? Always remember: Being the best does not mean one can not be beaten, and being beaten does not mean one is not the best.
Dr. Kent L. Bazard is the chairman of the Bahamas Open Martial Arts Championship, and the president of the Bahamas Wushu Sanda Association.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian