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FIGHT ODDS

Sherdog’s Top 10: Wanderlei Silva Moments (Good, Bad & Ugly)

C.J. TuttleSep 30, 2014
The fight with Chuck Liddell met expectations. | Photo: Sherdog.com


7. CLASH OF THE TITANS


When UFC parent company Zuffa LLC bought Pride Fighting Championships in 2007, it finally meant the MMA world would be treated to Chuck Liddell-Wanderlei Silva -- a pairing of two light heavyweight icons.

The fact that both men had been competing in two different companies during their respective title reigns had meant the opportunity for a fight between them at their peaks had subsided. Silva was defeated by Mirko Filipovic in the 2006 Pride open weight grand prix semifinals and then surrendered his title to Dan Henderson at Pride 33. Meanwhile, “The Iceman” yielded his 205-pound strap to Quinton Jackson and was subsequently upset by Keith Jardine.

In order to prevent the aging legends from losing further prestige, the Ultimate Fighting Championship pulled the trigger and made the historic matchup for UFC 79 on Dec. 29, 2007. The fight delivered, regardless of the fighters’ recent records.

Both men traded their signature power punches, neither shying away from banging in the pocket. At one point, Liddell nearly finished his opponent, but the Brazilian instead wildly retaliated with punches of his own. In the end, Liddell took home a win on the scorecards. What will be remembered is the style in which the two beloved figures turned their cold-war rivalry hot.

Number 6 » Fitting Final Chapter