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UFC 125 Preview: Will Thiago Silva End Brandon Vera's Ride in the UFC?

by Leland Roling on Dec 31, 2010 10:00 AM EST in UFC Event

Sports, in general, can be a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows, and some athletes are better suited at handling those swings in success better than others. Fans can also go through the same turmoil alongside their favorite teams and players. I know... because I was the unfortunate recipient of a father who loved the Chicago Cubs. Now, I'm forever doomed in inevitable disappointment.

While some readers might scoff at the thought of a sports fan becoming emotionally attached to their favorite sports athlete, those connections are what make sports and more specifically, individual sports stories, much more intriguing. Some of the most watched sporting events in the history of television were fueled by views deep inside the brains of the individuals involved.

Mixed martial arts has plenty of stories that run parallel to that thinking, and the light heavyweight showdown between the once-feared rising star Brandon Vera (11-5, 7-5 UFC) and Brazilian power puncher Thiago Silva (14-2, 5-2 UFC) has some of the those overtones. While the emotional parallel with fans might not be as great in comparison to other moments in mixed martial arts history, it is, in fact, still an ongoing affair. Vera's rise to fame from 2005 to 2007 was an exciting time as he provided exceptional finishes against tough competition, lending some credence to the notion that one day he may become champion. Unfortunately, a dispute between his manager, the UFC, and Vera himself rattled his world and sidelined him for most of 2007, and in the aftermath -- Vera wasn't the same fighter.

Much has been asked of Vera in the last couple of years. He's been expected to deliver the same precision striking and submission game that vaulted him into the spotlight, and he hasn't been able to deliver. Saturday night, his career will meet an ultimatum, a far cry from what anyone ever expected to happen.

Vera doesn't have an easy task, and that may be why many fans are expecting the worst at UFC 125. Thiago Silva has proven knockout power, devastating Muay Thai abilities, and the support of one of the best fight camps in the world. Can Vera overcome the youth, power, and tenacity of Silva?

As I've stated in past previews, I need to see something in Brandon Vera that inspires confidence for the future. We haven't seen that from him in his previous two performances. The Jon Jones fight might not fall into that category as many believe he will be the future champion, but the hesitance he displayed at moments in the Couture fight in combination with his inability to stop Couture's wrestling game along the fence soured a lot of fans. Vera will need to prove he still belongs in the UFC. With that said, I'll bank on Thiago Silva ending Vera's UFC career on Saturday night.

[Trojan Fight Club]

yea he will, i never like to see fighters get cut, but Thiago is a bad dude and I just don't see Vera being able to stop him.

[MMA_juggalo]

Both of these fighters are amazing in my opinion........but Thiago's muay thai will be too much for Vera.

[WileyThaOne]

i hope so. i really like thiago.. i watched the press conference and not one fucking person asked him a question!!

[b1uef1ow]

Originally Posted by MMA_juggalo

Both of these fighters are amazing in my opinion........but Thiago's muay thai will be too much for Vera.

You kidding? Last few fights I've seen nothing spectacular from Thiago in terms of pure Muay Thai technique. I don't think it'll be that much of an issue. Brandon's been trained by one of the very best Muay Thai fighters in the world in Rob Kamen. I doubt there will be anything in terms of Muay Thai that surprises Brandon.

[singhc]

Originally Posted by WileyThaOne

i hope so. i really like thiago.. i watched the press conference and not one fucking person asked him a question!!

that was colddd....some1 shudda asked him at least one question

[MMA_juggalo]

Originally Posted by b1uef1ow

You kidding? Last few fights I've seen nothing spectacular from Thiago in terms of pure Muay Thai technique. I don't think it'll be that much of an issue. Brandon's been trained by one of the very best Muay Thai fighters in the world in Rob Kamen. I doubt there will be anything in terms of Muay Thai that surprises Brandon.

Well, the same could be said for Vera. His muay thai and skills in general haven't exactly been world class either in his last few fights. In terms of raw striking power and overall muay thai skills, I believe the ball is in Thiago's court. Don't get me wrong, I am in no way saying that Brandon is a slouch......cuz he isn't. Heck, he is from my home town, I support Vera 100%. I just think he will be overwhelmed by the more aggressive Thiago Silva.

[dan the man 67]

I'm surprised Vera is still around, having won/lost 4 out of his last 8. I have to imagine this will be the decider.

As much as I like Silva, and his impressive record of 14-2, what caliber of fighter has he actually beaten? An on-his-way-out-of-the-UFC Keith Jardine? Although Vera lost to Jardine, the fighters he has beaten are a little more impressive than the fighters Silva has beaten. Silva may, or may not be as good as what his record states. This fight will certainly help determine that.

I think this fight will be a very strong statement for either fighter. Vera can make himself start to seem relevant again, and Silva would get the, in my opinion, biggest win in his career to date. It should be a great fight, and I am looking forward to it.

For what it's worth, I think this match-up should be co-headlining the event, not the Leben/Stann fight.

[WileyThaOne]

Originally Posted by singhc

that was colddd....some1 shudda asked him at least one question

yeah i was suprised same with that dong hyun kim nobody asked him anything either

[born2kill]

The expectations are getting a little ridiculous. He hasnt lost to anyone who wasnt world class. Why should he get fired? Can we just enjoy some nice competition? If he wins he wins, if he loses, so be it. He only fights a couple times a year anyways, hes not hogging up the cards like stephan struve.