UFC Champion Embarrasses Himself At Pay-Per-View

Anderson Silva showed the world a lot at UFC 112 by beating Demian Maia; lightning quick accurate striking, ridiculous takedown defense and terrific offensive diversity.

Unfortunately, by the end of the fight, Silva also showed that he is far from being a great champion.

[photogallerylink id=16002]The fight began as many suspected it would, Silva dominating Maia on the feet.  Maia threw everything he could at the champion, but was overmatched.  This was a fight that should've lasted no longer than five minutes, but would inexplicably last five rounds.

Through the first two rounds Silva picked his opponent apart.  There was a spinning back kick blasting Maia's gut and a flying knee that almost ended it.  It was looking like a masterpiece, when things strangely became unraveled.  What happened from rounds three through five was neither entertaining nor impressive.  It was shameful.

Silva began screaming at Maia to come forward.  Then started gyrating and crouching towards the floor, looking as if he wanted to crawl around the Octagon on all fours.  Silva had gone from confident champion to cocky bully.  And if people thought it couldn't get worse, it did, when his actions became inaction.

Silva shut down and was content on running circles around his opponent, literally.  In the fifth round referee Dan Miragliotta threatened to take a point away from Silva due to the champ not engaging.  By the final horn, fans were disgusted and outraged as was UFC President Dana White.

"Anderson Silva might be the first champion in history fighting on a prelim," White said. "How do you sell Anderson Silva after tonight? How do you do it? People don't want to see that [expletive]. I don't want to see it.

"It makes me sick to my stomach."

Fans couldn't have said it better.  If Silva wants to be regarded as one of the best, he'd start by finishing fights.  Domination isn't toying with and disrespecting the competition, it's destroying them in short order.  Then after the destruction, pick them up and shake their hand out of respect.

Until that starts to happen, Silva's unbelievable talent will be overshadowed by his unwillingness to become truly great.