Anderson Silva is quite possibly the best striker in Mixed Martial Arts history. It is not simply the fact that he can hit you anywhere he wants (with pinpoint accuracy), it is the fact that he has what can trump any striker and that is timing.
We have all seen it before…the cage door closes, the ref says fight and we hear Mike Goldberg tossing out the Bud Light slogan "here we go." Then for the next few minutes (depending on his opponent) Anderson circles around the cage feeling out his opponent and getting their timing down in the process.
Silva is even willing to take a few shots to get their timing. The announcers continue to talk and the fans begin to boo because they are bored and then something happens. Anderson drops his hands to his side and that usually spells the beginning of the end for his opponents. He sits there and dares them to engage and then makes them pay dearly for it.
In the first fight, Chael did not allow Anderson time to do this. He will most likely go with the same strategy as last time and rush from the opening bell. That may be Chael's saving grace, keeping enough pressure on Silva to ensure he doesn't get his timing. Even without it Silva is still in my opinion a better striker than Chael is. History however disagrees as Sonnen landed far more significant strikes in the first fight than Silva.
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