Erick Silva wields frightening physical tools. | Photo: Gleidson Venga/Sherdog.com
Welterweights
Erick Silva (18-5, 6-4 UFC) vs. Neil Magny (15-4, 8-3 UFC)Despite the loss to Maia, Magny is still a promising fighter. He has exceptional size – he stands 6-foot-3 and boasts an 80-inch reach -- and he uses it well. A piercing jab and long right hand are the foundation of his striking game at range. He starts slow but works at an increasing pace as the fight wears on, and he packs enough power to make his opponents think. Magny’s footwork and defensive skills, however, seem to come and go. At times, he shows outstanding pressure footwork or crisp circular movement, but when pressured, he often covers up and moves back to the cage in straight lines. His best skill set is likely his clinch game, where he mixes sharp knees and elbows, suffocating control and slick body-lock trips and throws. Despite his serious lapses against Maia, he has been a solid defensive wrestler. From top position, he controls nicely, has a good arsenal of passes and mixes submission attempts with strikes.
An incredibly explosive and powerful athlete, Silva is the quintessential frontrunner. This is more a result of his exceptional inefficiency than a requirement of his body type, since many other physical specimens have developed styles that preserve their energy for the later rounds. Silva throws everything into every punch, kick or knee, and he moves quickly but without regard for how much space he actually needs. He relies far too much on that speed to avoid his opponent’s strikes and defends takedowns with more explosiveness than technical skill. This works for a round, perhaps a bit more, but after that, he is essentially a sitting duck who relies on his toughness to make it to the final bell. From a technical perspective, Silva targets his preferred round and spinning kicks nicely and does an excellent job of working his overhands around his opponent’s guard. He is a skilled clinch fighter with a potent array of trips and body-lock takedowns to go along with crisp knees. His best skill set is definitely his grappling, particularly when he can stuff his opponent’s takedowns and work from the front headlock, where his move to the back is lightning-fast.
BETTING ODDS: Silva (-175), Magny (+155) THE PICK: There are two likely outcomes for this fight. Behind door number one, the quick starter Silva overwhelms the slow starter Magny in the first round or early in the second, catching the hittable American with power shots before finishing his hurt opponent with a submission. The second possibility involves Magny weathering the early storm and putting increasing volume on Silva in the second and the third rounds to take a decision or a late finish. The first seems a bit more likely, so the pick is Silva by submission in the first round.
Next Fight » Josh Burkman vs. Patrick Cote