In mixed martial arts there are big wins, and then there are gigantic wins. Antonio Silva’s last big win falls into the second category.
“Big Foot” has been on the radar since he tore “Cabbage” Correira to shreds in 2007. Over the next four years that followed he tasted defeat only once to submission ace Fabricio Werdum that earned him a slot in the eight-man field for Strikeforce’s abortion of a tournament known as the Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Paired up in the opening round with the greatest heavyweight mixed martial artist of all-time, Fedor Emelianenko, most considered the six-foot-four Brazilian to be nothing more than a stepping stone for the Russian.
Well, as plans will be, plans will go awry. Not only did “Big Foot” hand Emelianenko his second defeat in a decade, he would leave him a bloody mess in the process.
In trademark fashion for the Russian he came out throwing bombs of fury towards the large skull of Silva before scoring a takedown and seeking a kimura on the mat but the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt wasn’t going to give up the hold that easy.
As the opening stanza came to a close, Silva, who out-weighed Emelianenko by up to fifty-pounds by fight night, scored a late takedown with ease which was a sign of things to come.
As the former Pride Fighting Championships heavyweight kingpin came out to throw about his heavy hands Silva perfectly timed a takedown and spent a large chunk of the next five minutes battering Emelianenko with heavy shots and threatening with submissions.
When the cageside doctor looked at “The Last Emperor” and the state of his face it was clear this one wasn’t going to enter the third frame and the fight came to an abrupt stop.
Unfortunately for Silva, that was over a year ago, Friday night he gets his chance to notch his first Octagon victory when he meets top prospect Travis Browne in the main event of UFC on FX 5.
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