Wanderlei Silva vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama set for Australia
Wanderlei Silva will be making his middleweight debut against Yoshihiro Akiyama in the land down under during the latter portion of February, 2010.
While nothing has been made official at this time, the two are expected to face off in Sydney at either UFC 110 or UFC 111, marking the first time the UFC has made the trip to Australia in the promotion’s history.
Akiyama was the one to spill the beans on the potential match-up, revealing the bout during a recent news conference for the popular video game “UFC Undisputed“.
Silva will be looking to get back on track following back to back defeats at the hands of Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rich Franklin, following an impressive first round knockout over Keith Jardine at UFC 84. “The Axe Murderer has lost five of his last six, although his last bout with Franklin was a closely contested battle that wound up earning both men the “Fight of the Night” bonus during UFC 99.
Akiyama is fresh off of his closely contested split decision over Alan Belcher at UFC 99. Affectionately referred to as “Sexyama” by his legions of Sexyamamaniacs, Yoshihiro sports a career record of 13-1 and has a decorated background in Judo.
Cory Brady is the managing editor of FiveOuncesOfPain.com.
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Rich S.
Well-Done.
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there he can really own people and be a contender
Well-Done.
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Wand can usually avoid the grappling with great judo players i.e. Yoshida and Nakamura. Definately dont think Akiyama’s striking is anywhere near Wand.
Wand by crushing KO.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Hot debate. What do you think?
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Well-Done.
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so far i will be getting this card just for this fight. xtreme your right Sexyama should cut down to WW.
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i doubt it but i pray that wande just runs thru akiyama.
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JUST ONE KNEE WAND!!! LET US SEE YOUR OLD STRIKING!!!
Wandy went from the most exciting fighter on the face of the earth to someone that’s painful to watch..
He just swings away, wildly, and constantly misses..
At middleweight, he’ll be able to reach his opponents better.. I would like to see him throw more kicks, and use his clinch..
If he would quit focusing on making his fans happy, and just fight to win, that would, IN TURN, make his fans happy.. Because we won’t have to watch him lose, and lose, and lose some more..
I’d like to see Wandy get a brutal knockout here, but I don’t know about that just yet.. I say Wand via UD..
Well-Done.
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I see Wandy winning by Ko or TKO. Akiyama looked like a small MW against Belcher, and Wandy will come in as a massive MW, so I think that will be the difference in the fight.
Then again, the cut could mess Wandy up, so we’ll see.
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He was on a decline before the UFC bought Pride and you could see his last few fights in Pride were average at best. He lost his last two Pride fights by brutal ko and he’s never been the same.
I love this guy, but it pains me to see a fighter of his calibre lose and lose.
Well-Done.
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I don’t see how anyone can Dislike your comment, Rich. It’s spot on.
Wandy used to be feared because of his muay thai…
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DO WANT
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WOW just WOW! This is what I call a great match! I cant wait to see it! Slug feast two great fighters I wouldn’t count Akiyama out as easy as you guys.
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I hope this can get Silva back on track, and that is able to establish himself as a serious MW to be reckoned with. Akiyama obviously does not have the power of Wanderlei, but he is a smart fighter, as was shown against Belcher. If Wand is patient and waits for a good opening, he will crush this guy.
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This is a an extremely interesting match up. Good job done by Joe Silva. Akiyama has heart and a good chin, but he looked gassed in his last fight with Belcher. I don’t have a clue who to pick in this one, there’s so many ways this could play out. I could see Akiyama out point him all night or Wandi by KO.
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sexy-yama to win by pure sexiness, u know it u got a mancrush on him LOL
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YES!!!!
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Wand is way too ugly to fight Akiyama.
I say Wand loses again, no gameplan FTL
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wand is prettier now with his new nose,but sexay is gonna snap kick him in the nose and wands gonna have to have surgery and be out all of next year, also wandy will be drooling all over akiyama’s sexiness whooo-raaa!
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this is a dangerous fight for the eccentric akiyama, they not easing him in unlike with bisping good to see
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