Silva says booing fans don't understand the sport  | read this item

Silva says booing fans don’t understand the sport

July 30, 2009   ·   UFC Betting Staff   ·   Jump to comments

Anderson Silva got the first wave of questions regarding a lack of aggression in his last two fights. There’s many more to come before UFC 101 and if another clunker unfolds in Philadelphia, rest assured the city of Brotherly Love can quickly turn into a hellhole if the fans are displeased. Another fight like the one against Thales Leites in Montreal where the challenger refused to engage and Silva chose not to take him out, will result in plenty of booing from America’s nastiest fans. Silva said when he hears the boos it just means the fans don’t understand fighting (1:52 mark):

“A lot of times when people aren’t as educated in the sport it’s hard for them to understand,” Silva said through his translator Ed Soares. “I feel I went in there and did my job. If people are booing, it’s from a lack of understanding of the sport. I went out and executed a good gameplan.”

Those fans included UFC president Dana White who said he was embarrassed by the performance and wanted to leave. Silva’s gameplan looked very similar in his last two fights against Leites and at UFC 90 against Patrick Cote. Even when it was clear the opponent didn’t want to fight, Silva chose to stay away from any risks.

“Sometimes when you’re standing outside the Octagon it’s a lot different than when you’re inside the Octagon. I went in there to do my job and I have a strategy. Yeah, I’m there for the fans but I’m in the one who’s putting my body and my life in danger everytime I step into the Octagon.”

Maybe it’s a contractual issue. Silva could’ve signed a deal based heavily on winning where he get a huge undisclosed win bonus or bonus on the back end of the pay-per-view that could potentially push his per-fight salary into the seven figure range. If he loses maybe the deal is renegotiated back down to the simple base of $200,000. If that were the case is he doing something wrong by fighting just to win? How would fans react if they thought a fighter wouldn’t take any chances or try to finish his opponent because he feared his salary would be cut 80-percent in the case of a loss?

Soares also commented on the heavy criticism Silva has received the last two times out:

“I’m a little bit bummed out about it. The guy goes out there and puts on a show  and it’s like the other guy doesn’t show up to fight. If you’re a challenger you gotta want to go in there and take the belt. It’s not [Silva's] olbigation to fight the other guy’s fight.”

Is the goal to simple get by with wins a la Floyd Mayweather or earn more money and dominate like Fedor Emelianenko? Ultimately the fans decide what style they’re willing to pay big money for at home and at the arena. The fans in both Chicago and Montreal were displeased and there was plenty of outrage amongst MMA fans but is that enough to turn people off from buying another Silva pay-per-view for $45?

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