Anderson Silva’s Unique Style: When MMA Becomes Art
Anderson Silva is one of the greatest fighters in the history of MMA. He is famous for his impressive career, holding the Middleweight championship for 8 consecutive years from 2006 to 2013 in the UFC, setting a record with 10 successful title defenses in a row.
Journey to Martial Arts
Anderson Silva was born into a financially struggling family, making it impossible for him to study Brazilian Jiu Jitsu formally. Therefore, he had to teach himself by observing neighbors who practiced Jiu Jitsu. By the age of 12, his family managed to support him in studying Taekwondo and Capoeira, and at 16, he began learning Muay Thai.
Professional Fighting Career
At the age of 22, he started his professional fighting career in Brazil in the Welterweight division, achieving two consecutive wins before suffering his first loss against Luiz Azeredo. After this defeat, he reclaimed glory with a streak of 9 consecutive wins. Following his first victory in Japan, he fought Hayato Sakurai, the reigning Shotoo champion at that time, and became the first person to defeat Hayato Sakurai, who had an undefeated record after 20 fights.
In 2002, Silva began competing in Pride, which was regarded as the most prestigious MMA organization at the time. In his debut match in Pride, he defeated Alex Stiebling by TKO with a head kick. In his next fight, he won against Alexander Otsuka by decision. At Pride 25, Silva faced former UFC Welterweight champion Carlos Newton, winning with a flying knee and powerful punches to the face.
The Brazilian fighter has had 43 fights in the UFC since his first match in 2006, achieving 34 victories, 8 losses, and 1 draw by 2017. At that time, he was one of the longest-reigning champions in UFC history, holding the title for exactly 2,457 days, with 10 successful title defenses across 16 fights.
Throughout his career, Silva earned 12 prestigious awards, including: 3 “Fight of the Night,” 7 “Knockout of the Night,” and 2 “Submission of the Night,” making him the fighter with the most awards overall. In the world of MMA, he is nicknamed “The Spider.”
Fighting Style
Anderson Silva is a unique fighter, holding black belts in four disciplines: Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Judo, and Taekwondo. This allows him to exhibit seemingly perfect fighting techniques, including movement, defense, powerful and precise strikes. In most of his fights, he frequently employs signature knee strikes from Muay Thai and has knocked out many opponents with this technique. Silva also possesses incredible muscle strength and stamina, along with powerful punches. His flexible fighting style and effective evasion, supported by quick footwork and famous leg kicks, have led to many opponents’ defeats.
He instills fear in every opponent he faces, known for his intensely aggressive fighting style. Every time he steps into the ring, he showcases a performance of playing with his opponent before finishing the fight with devastating blows.
