Question about Silva/Sonnen bout
 

So I'm still a bit amazed at how polarizing the main event of 148 was, and how many people are looking for controversy, etc. I was most surprised at how many people wanted sonnen to actually win, and I still can't seem to figure out why?

So the poll question is really only for people who wanted Anderson to lose. If you're an Anderson fan, good on you, but I don't really care, as it's easy to be a fan of a dominant winnner.

So the poll is for people who wanted sonnen to win, or at least wanted Anderson to lose. If you could explain the reasoning behind your choice in the thread, that would be nice.

rh

I wanted Chael to win cause he makes me laugh and I would like to see the MW division shook up a bit, as of now I see no real threat to Anderson

Im pissed that the ref stopped it when he did. It took away the chance for the Fans and Anderson to see Sonnen get put out...

I wanted chael to win. I wanted to see the top of the division change. I do find chael entertaining inside and outside the cage. Although I mainly wanted him to win because I view him as the only viable threat to the title. If chael had won, he couldve very possibly lost the belt within a defense or two. So now I'm just ready for Anderson to retire.

Oh and about the fan of a dominant winner thing. My favorite fighters are leben, Jung, and Matt brown. So other than maybe Jung that won't be an issue for me, and Jung got ko'd by roop. So I tend to gravitate away from dominant guys and usually go for fighters that are 50/50. It's more fun that way and less disappointing when they lose.

I did not answer the poll b/c I did want Anderson to win (I would not have minded Chael winning either, b/c he is also entertaining). I am answering the question b/c of your statement of "it being easy to be a fan of a dominant winner." I am not saying that this is not true, but I also enjoy watching greatness. Whether it be MJ, Kobe, even Peyton Manning (and I am a chiefs fan) some people enjoy watching great athletes. I guess some of that has to do with them being dominant winners, but some of it is just seeing greatness. Sure I have my guys I cheer for that aren't great, like Chad Griggs, but I also enjoy watching the greats like Fedor, AS, Jones, and GSP.

So I am not disagreeing with your statement, but just commenting on it sounding like you think (IMO) that it is a negative thing to want to see the dominant champions compete.

Agreed but if you notice they were afraid of Silva before the opening bell. They thought Silva was going to attack Sonnen while he was bowing...

He had them shaking like booty meat so you can imagine they were afraid he was going to continue hitting him despite being out..

looking at it from a business perspective Sonnen winning and shaking up as well as setting up a 3rd fight would have been more interesting.

i think Fights with Wandy and Belfort will now sell due to the Brazil heat with Sonnen though. We also have Lombard, Munoz, and possibly Evans all making intersting fights withthe champ as well

I don't think it's a negative thing at all. I just don't find it as interesting, and it wasn't the point of the thread. I'm a fan of several teams and players who are among the very best on the planet. But there isn't an interesting story there, beyond they physicality of being a spectator.

I'm still a bit confused about why this bout was so polarizing, and I'm trying to get a better handle on it.

I know why most Anderson fans love Anderson. I don't know if people hate him, or why they would. I don't know why people love sonnen.

rh

I'm guessing there are a fairly sized number of Silva haters who are mad because Silva walked through their favourite fighters. I'm sure a lot of early Leben fans hated Silva for dismantling Leben with ease. He's blown through a lot of competition so I could see those fans bouncing to their next slight hope of someone derailing Silva.

Riv, this is just a observation of mine (so it may be way off), but I feel a lot of it has to do with Sonnen being such an outspoken wrestler. I was not a wrestler growing up, but I feel like a lot of his supporters were wrestlers and that they feel like it would vindicate their sport. A buddy of mine, who is a huge mma fan, was a good highschool wrestler and he was big time saying that Sonnen was going to clown Silva. Wrestlers are very passionate about their trade and I feel like they see Silva as being one of their own.

Could also go back to "the great white hope" like they talk about in boxing. This is even more speculation on my part.

Anderson also seemed to enter Lebron James territory with some of his performances (ex. Demian Maia), as a person that people root against.

These are just a couple of explanations that I have in my head.