UFC’s most sexy: Wanderlei Silva or Akiyama?
The matchmaking possibilities are limitless for a guy with the appeal of Wanderlei Silva. Silva is what’s great about the way mixed martial arts book its fights. It’s not about the records or an unbeaten streak, it’s about the action and appeal of the fights. Silva could go 6-6 over a 12-fight period and people will still pay, just like they did until Arturo Gatti’s career ran out of gas.
Silva, trying to reinvent himself as a middleweight, looks to be headed toward a fight with Japan mega-star Yoshihiro Akiyama in February. According to MMAFrenzy, Akiyama announced the fight during a press conference in Japan saying it would be at UFC 110 or 111. It sounds like a perfect fit for the UFC’s first event in Australia, as it wouldn’t be a bad 10-hour jaunt for Japanese fight fans.
The Silva-”Sexyama” fight may not capture the imagination of the casual American fan, but it’s a huge international fight with some good questions going in. Can Silva actually get down to 185 pounds and not be gassed two minutes into the fight? And can Akiyama, who looks to be carrying some excess beef at 185, take Silva’s punch? Akiyama may find out he needs to slim down and head to welterweight. He was nearly carried out of the cage after his win over Alan Belcher at UFC 100. Belcher is a really good striker but doesn’t bring the thunder like Silva does.
Akiyama, a Korean national, is a huge star in Japan. He’s married to Japanese model Shiho Yano. Silva has been out of action since his loss to Rich Franklin at UFC 99. Wandy went all Joan Rivers on the MMA world, going under the knife to get a prettier nose and shave down some scar tissue around his eyes.
