Spider going up a weight class

[snakemw]

Spider is going up a weight class for his FREE fight on July 19 on Spike. How does everybody think he will do?

[meksi]

Spider? enlighten us (me)

[xjsynx]

Originally Posted by meksi

Spider? enlighten us (me)

Anderson "The Spider" Silva Pound for Pound the greatest MMA fighter

[meksi]

movin up in weight puts him in whose realm? Jackson, Liddell?

[xjsynx]

Yeap, 205's

[ghostride]

He is fighting James Irvin if I recall correctly, right?

[xjsynx]

UFC ANNOUNCES ANDERSON SILVA vs. JAMES "THE SANDMAN" IRVIN
ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP® ANNOUNCES
ANDERSON SILVA vs. JAMES "THE SANDMAN" IRVIN

Las Vegas, NV (USA) -- UFC® middleweight champion Anderson Silva, arguably the best mixed martial arts fighter in the world, pound-for-pound, will move up in weight class for the first time when he jumps from middleweight to light heavyweight to fight James "The Sandman" Irvin (14-4-1) on Saturday, July 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Silva will square off against the hard-hitting Irvin, who knocked out Houston Alexander in a record-tying eight seconds this past April. Silva vs. Irvin will air LIVE - for the first time ever - on the East and West coast on Spike TV. The fight will be seen at 9:00pm ET and 6:00pm PT, free on Spike TV.

"There has never been a better time to be a mixed martial arts fan," said Dana White, UFC President. "You get to see Anderson Silva fight for the first time ever as a light heavyweight against James "The Sandman" Irvin, who just tied the record for fastest KO in UFC history with his destruction of Houston Alexander and whose flying knee KO of Terry Martin is an all-time highlight. Silva has been unstoppable in the middleweight division, and now he is looking to test the waters in the light heavyweight division. Fight fans on the West and East coast can see Silva vs. Irvin and a full lineup of great live matchups free on Spike TV Saturday, July 19."

Anderson “The Spider” Silva burst onto the UFC scene with a devastating knockout of Chris Leben in June, 2006 which was seen live on Spike TV. A native of Curitiba, Brazil, Silva became UFC Middleweight champ with an impressive TKO over Rich Franklin at UFC 64 in October of 2006, and he has since made four title successful title defenses, with all victories coming via TKO or submission, including a recent win over former PRIDE champion Dan Henderson at UFC 82 in March. Silva, considered by many as the most dominant force the UFC middleweight division has ever seen, is now moving up in weight class to fight the dangerous knockout artist, James Irvin.

Nicknamed “The Sandman,” Irvin, has a propensity for putting his opponents to sleep in dynamic fashion. His flying knee against Terry Martin at UFC 54 in August of 2005 is legendary, and his aforementioned knockout of Alexander tied the record for fastest knockout in UFC history. Fighting out of Sacramento, CA, Irvin has won four out his last five UFC bouts, and a victory over the undefeated Silva would certainly be the career highlight thus far for the 29 year-old slugger.

[meksi]

If he can stand toe to toe with with these guys it should be fun weight class....he has plenty of speed with some vicious blows but does he have lightheavy weight chin/power? it should be interesting to witness.

[alden003]

Anderson walks around at well over 205lbs. so he will still have to cut to make weight for this one. With that said this maybe why he has steam rolled through the 185lbs. devision. He is most likely entering the ring at least 10-15lbs heavier then at weigh in.

What I like is that Anderson didn't want to take on some easy guy for his first fight in the 205's. He is taking a fight with "The Sand Man". This is going to be a sick fight. I will have the DVR set for this one.

[ufcdude12]

Anderson will ruin most of the division and tear it up. RAampage will be the only decent challenger for him...EXCEPT FOR RANDY COUTURE!!!!!