UFC 146 preview: Velasquez vs. Silva
Cain Velasquez (9-1) vs. Antonio Silva (16-3)
In a clash of former champions trying to rebound from losses in an effort to secure their spot in the heavyweight contender race, Velasquez will try to replicate his teammate Daniel Cormier’s performance against “Bigfoot,” an enormous former EliteXC champion making his promotional debut.
Velasquez, 29, was riding strong on nine victories in as many fights until he crossed paths with Junior dos Santos this past November.
The altercation was short-lived as Dos Santos connected with a big shot in the opening stanza, putting Velasquez away in a little over a minute to claim the heavyweight crown.
A sensational NCAA Division I All-American and Pac-10 champion, the Mexican-American has amassed quality wins over Cheick Kongo, Ben Rothwell, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brock Lesnar.
Based at San Jose’s American Kickboxing Academy, the Guerilla Jiu Jitsu brown belt under Dave Camarillo has evolved tremendously as a striker over the years. Velasquez possesses exceptional speed and footwork, outworking opponents with a frantic pace for the heavyweight division.
Velasquez’s wrestling coach happens to be Cormier, who needed less than four minutes to knock “Bigfoot” senseless in September 2011. This will surely give Velasquez some motivation and a mental edge heading into this fight.
Silva, 32, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and karate, was coming off the biggest win of his career in February 2011 – a second-round stoppage of the legendary Fedor Emelianenko – before he was dropped by Cormier in the Strikeforce World Grand Prix semifinals.
A colossal heavyweight with great power, the Brazilian has spent most of his time training with Team Nogueira in Brazil, while also expanding his training partners with stints at American Top Team and Imperial Athletics. Silva recently departed from the “Blackzillians” camp upon the addition of Alistair Overeem, a sign that he has every intention of fighting the world’s best heavyweights for years to come.
Silva holds notable wins over Ricco Rodriguez, Jim York, Andrei Arlovski and Mike Kyle, while dropping bouts against Cormier, Fabricio Werdum and a 2006 setback against super heavyweight Eric Pele.
Silva’s striking tends to get sloppy at times, but he needs just one heavy shot to change the dimensions of a fight. His greatest weapon is perhaps his ground-and-pound, but putting a decorated wrestler like Velasquez on his back will be a highly ambitious proposition.
In a battle of heavyweight behemoths, it could come down to technique, which is where Velasquez is the far crisper tactician.
Velasquez will utilize his speed to move in and out range, tactically selecting his shots and picking Silva apart. Despite coming off a knockout loss, Silva’s chin is unquestionably sturdy. As such, Velasquez will likely score key points with his strikes, even mixing in a takedown or two at critical moments of the fight, en route to a triumphant decision.
Verdict: Velasquez via decision
