the norm, and not the exception?
no
Interesting question.
His hyper-calm and vision especially while stiking isn't a common trait in people. The old saying "some things can't be taught"
Now one could say as the talent pool increases a higher number of these guys would find their way into the sport so possibly more versions of him will appear.
But a talent pool into one sport or another is dependent on many variables and there is no guarantee talent pools increase, regardless of sport.
I think the guy is pretty rare
I would find a bio on him interesting to see if there is a way to track how he got this way.
When the UFC is made up of guys who were born martial artists instead of ex cons, frat boys, carpenters turned mixed martial artists
Look at Anderson's background
Lyoto
GSP
BJ
These guys were born to be martial artists. None of them left home depot to do what they do
what do you mean the norm? He's was never an unbeatable superhero, one of the greats but had some shty looking losses like most everyone from his era
a legend sure
No... just no.
Maybe if anderson had children with someone as skilled as him, and all his sons trained MMA, and then all his sons had children with brides as athletic and agile, etc etc... and just kept breeding little spiders, and killing all those who didnt inherit Andersons natural gifts, then maybe.
Anderson Silva is something special. I'm sure the general skill level of fighters will keep rising as the sport matures, and guys will come along that are better than Anderson Silva and people will argue about who would win so and so vs. A. Silva both in their primes, like how people do now with Tyson/Ali. But I doubt someone of his skill level will ever be the norm, less rare maybe, but not the norm.
Mushroom Slap - is every boxer like Ali now?
This is a good example and I was going to say something just like this.
Sure, the sport will continue evolving to a certain degree, but Silva is that rare talent that only comes around every so often.
It's been almost 30 years since Ali last fought, and sure there have been other great fighters but it's not like Boxing is full of Ali's right now.
I think it might be more appropriate to say a guy like Nate Marquardt could be the norm, with Marquardt himself being in the elite upper level of that "norm".
jobro - Ali?
What Roy Jones Junior isn't as skilled?
It's not that, but then again Roy Jones Jr. isn't "the norm" either. I think what he was trying to say, and I was as well, is that I'm sure in the future that there will be fighters as skilled as Silva, but they'll be few and far between.
FloridaStriker - When the UFC is made up of guys who were born martial artists instead of ex cons, frat boys, carpenters turned mixed martial artists
The average will be better than Anderson.
None of the champion fighters today have been raised since early childhood with the techniques, training, and culture of modern MMA as taught by previous champions of modern MMA.
Until all the pros in MMA have had this training and are selected as the cream of that crop, you get some TUF winner that worked at the local quickie mart.
In short, we are two generations away from getting past the heel of the exponential learning curve.
cincibill -FloridaStriker - When the UFC is made up of guys who were born martial artists instead of ex cons, frat boys, carpenters turned mixed martial artists
The average will be better than Anderson.
None of the champion fighters today have been raised since early childhood with the techniques, training, and culture of modern MMA as taught by previous champions of modern MMA.
Until all the pros in MMA have had this training and are selected as the cream of that crop, you get some TUF winner that worked at the local quickie mart.
In short, we are two generations away from getting past the heel of the exponential learning curve.
You two are both retarded if you actually believe that
Anderson has a gift for being able to read his opponents, much like Pernell Whitaker, and Roy Jones.
There arent many people like that at all.
Anderson is special, he'll be remembered as one of the greatest of his generation.
Our Children, (well maybe grand children, since most of you are like 40 year old fat guys), will be making topics saying, "Who would win, X fighter or Anderson Silva"
much like how people say ali or tyson.
Anderson's understanding of the striking game will be a rubric for how people will approach it in the future. He's a revolutionary in this sport.
Its said Anderson is "revolutionary", he has a "gift of being able to read his opponent", etc.
Who will beat Royce? Who will beat Kerr? Who will beat Igor?
Those things will be exploited in due time as the field will continue to improve and exploit every revolutionary person,just as it does in every sport.
The big O was replaced by Michael Jordon who was quickly replaced by by Kobe Bryant and Lebron James.
Look at Olympic events where it seems records are being broken every eight years.
Royce, Kerr, and Igor were all revolutionaries...
wow, zuffa hype machine ftw, huh? anyone ever heard of this guy named fedor?
yes. seems in the last 3 years ando has pulled way ahead of the pack he was once in the middle of
There is no doubt Silva is an amazing fighter but I think he does so well because he has an unorthodox style that people havent quite figured out how to properly get passed yet. I think he has been underestimated until now. However, it will not be long before he gets defeated
shb - wow, zuffa hype machine ftw, huh? anyone ever heard of this guy named fedor?
Completely different type of fighter. We're at the point where Fedor's striking definitely couldn't hang with Anderson's. It'd be interesting to see if he could take Anderson down. The problem with that matchup is that Fedor relies on blitz punching to secure his takedowns.
I guess we'll know a lot more about this matchup if Anderson ever competes at Heavyweight. But lets be real here... Anderson's understanding of standup fighting is by far the best the sport has ever seen.
Wet - There is no doubt Silva is an amazing fighter but I think he does so well because he has an unorthodox style that people haven't quite figured out how to properly get passed yet. I think he has been underestimated until now. However, it will not be long before he gets defeated
Yep