https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvPA1RlMSZM Another embarrassing title fight for Silva. Another moment where Dana White stated he was embarrassed. Anderson Silva faced BJJ expect Thales Leites at UFC 97 in Montreal in 2009. It wound up being a UFC record-setting event, as Silva picked up his ninth straight UFC win, but an ugly win it was. Silva clowned. He danced. It perhaps wasn't as bad as his later performance against Demian Maia, if only because Leites failed to engage, especially after Anderson open-handed slapped him several times to goad him, to no response. It was, in short, playground antics. It wasn't what was expected of Silva, and if it had turned out to be a one-off, it might have wound up downplayed as an aberration in Anderson's career, but sadly, it was the beginning of a trend with some of Silva's fights: when the fighter was bored or disrespected, he would often fail to preform in the cage. In the Leites fight, it was boredom, not disrespect, that seemed to fuel Silva's antics. He wore a flat, disinterested expression through most of the fight. It still wasn't as bad as the Maia fight however.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.