VIDEO: Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites UFC 97

Not an exciting ight but I guess you gotta respect Silva doing what he has to for the win. Still, Fedor woulda found a way to make it interesting, i bet..

VIDEO: Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites UFC 97
source

Like a movie that just doesn't live up to the hype, Anderson Silva left fans discontented and discouraged following UFC 97. Coming off the unsatisfying resolution of his fight with Patrick Cote at UFC 90, many expected to see a fighter energized and motivated to quickly work towards a finish.

Instead, Silva continued where he left off with Cote. Silva fought a patient, intelligent fight refusing to follow Leites to the floor while economizing the output of strikes standing.

However, one must question whether Silva deserves the inevitable criticisms of his latest performance.

Silva retained his middleweight title for the fifth time, even though countryman Thales Leites took him the full five rounds in a bout that had the fans booing by early in the second round, and calling “Bull...” by the fourth round.

Silva apologized to the crowd afterwards, vowing to up the performance level next time. “He’s a great fighter from a great jiu-jitsu school. Sometimes we can’t come out here and give a spectacular show,” Silva said of his younger countryman. “I want to do what the fans want, but sometimes it’s not always possible,” he said.

It was the first time Silva had been taken the distance in a fight since Sept. 11, 2004.

Full video here

VIDEO: Anderson Silva vs Thales Leites UFC 97