MMA Reporter

Its been more than a couple of days now but the events of UFC 101 still play a bit like a broken record in the mind for many a UFC fan, not least due to the controversies that arose.

First Sadollah's fight was stopped, to what seemed like to everyone in the crowd and his mother, prematurely; and as always with split decisions, decisions end up being debating points, not the definitive conclusions to the fights the judges had hoped for.

But even among all this, there was one fight that stood out on the card as particularly—there's no other word for it here—shocking: Forrest Griffin-Anderson Silva.

While the card did have a certain inevitability/predictability about it, it must be said, even before fights were fought and blood was spilled,Griffin-Silva still stood out in the end, not because Silva won— obviously a result many expected—but because of the absolutely mortifying manner Griffin that crumbled to the Brazilian middleweight master.

Now all things being equal, a light-heavyweight, especially a former light-heavy champion, is bound to have some natural advantage against a middleweight coming up from his natural weight to face him.

Sure, Silva isn't just any middleweight many could argue. In fact, he's highly regarded as the best P4P fighter in the world, in a world of Fedor Emelianenko's and GSP's no less. There's no doubt he would have backed himself, even against an ex-champ.

But after knocking down the UFC golden boy 3 times—at times mocking him openly by wagging his face at him and then cheekily letting Griffin up to resume what would of by then seemed to Griffin as a match conducted in the 7th circle of hell—I don't think anyone can argue that Griffin wasn't made to look like a real loser by Silva.

I know in my eyes, I can never look at Griffin the same way again.

Which leads to the overwhelming question: Did Griffin throw the fight at UFC 101?

Certainly he acted like a man that had just thrown a fight. With "knockout" declared, Griffin got up and scrambled out of the arena under a towel, with his tail between his legs. No doubt the Philly crowd, having just seen the Sadollah debacle, were in no forgiving mood to cheer another short fight.

And how about Silva's antics? To the rapacious boos and jeers before the fight, Silva looked extremely confident, smirking and making faces at the crowd people usually reserve for making at babies.

The manner in which he conducted himself in the fight betrayed an inevitability to the result in hindsight. What kind of fighter fights like a man who seems to know his victory in the fight is already assured? I'll tell you, either a very, very confident one or one that knows victory is a procession.

Of course, it all goes back to the details.

We are all aware now of Silva's situation. With three fights left until retirement the UFC is desperately hoping Silva earns the kudos he needs to challenge Machida. A loss to Griffin would of made the fight an impossibility, certainly in the timescale Silva has already set out by already announcing his retirement date.

Was Silva cynically mocking the UFC's WWE-like "booking" with his openly bravado theatrics? It's hilarious to think he was making real hay of such a hypothetical situation he may of found himself in...talk about a "dry" sense of humour.

I guess we'll never know for sure. Does the UFC "book" results to make fights in the future more lucrative? Do fighters throw fights of their own accord? Everyone has problems right?

With apparently "a broken jaw" for his troubles, nuanced spectators will continue to question.

Having seen an entire football league unravelled by match fixing (which went from the league commissioners right down to TV presenters), watched South Korea openly boss referees in front of 2 billions viewers at the 2002 WC and watched (subsequently proven) drug cheats cry openly at the Olympics after "winning" their pieces of painted silver—only a pitiable man would take everything at face value nowadays.

the518

good point. tooook toook. phhhhhhh.

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but then again, i may be retarded

Pimach

I believe it. that "ko" didnt look right, in fact ive seen better KO's on Monday Night Raw.

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Like Billy Jacks' soul attack, I'm one Injun you wont forget.

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p-jersey

If anything i think he may have given up. I think he was hurt pretty bad from the first two knock downs and wanted out.

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Denver, CO-Wrestling

Pimach

thats what i suspect also, but if youre gonna go out like that then at least tap, not make a fool of yourself flopping around hoping for stoppage, Forrest looked like Manu Ginoblli or Vlade Divac out there.

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Like Billy Jacks' soul attack, I'm one Injun you wont forget.

www.euromitsu.com

leglace

It looked so exaggerated. I have little doubt that he could have been told to take a dive at some point. It builds up Silva's fight with Machida, whom I think he will agree to sooner or later as the money will be right.

homerdindon

I can't believe that people honestly think that he took a dive. He just got his butt kicked by a way better opponent.

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"Now class, I'd like for you to transition from downward dog....straight to FULL BRING!!!"

Pimach

he got his butt kicked alright, but the way he ended it is why people think that, the way he flopped about then he jumped right up and took off after being ko'd.

__________________
Like Billy Jacks' soul attack, I'm one Injun you wont forget.

www.euromitsu.com

Greco-ZAG

He still got KOed even though he pooped up. Also, his manger explained that he could not speak because of his jaw and that might be why he didn't stick around and expalil why he just got demolished (like he normally does).
The walking backward punch sending him to the ground is what made me initially question the incident, but if he was hurt before that, Silva is still powerful enough to delivery what everyone witnessed.
Thrown fight-I don't think so, but will it start to happen-I definately think so.

leglace

He came away with no injuries. The broken jaw was a rumor.
He could have taken a dive knowing he'd lose anyway, and that it would be whats best for MMA. In other words, building up the Silva vs Machida fight. Don't listen to them when they say they would never do it. They are fighters and money talks.