Sorry for the late recap, been a busy week at work mma awesomeness aside. In my 2 years of actively watching & following this sport I have never experienced a fight as intense as the UFC 117 main event title fight between middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen. For the majority of mma fights you can tell who is the better fighter minutes into the first round. And as the fight progresses you may get to see if the opponent is either a slow starter, completely out of their leage, a victim of a bad style matchup or even injured.

Due to the many offensive options in mma and other factors like fatigue and overconfidence there is always a chance that a capable fighter can snatch victory out of the clutches of defeat (Duffe vs Russow). But rarely in high level mma do you see an elite fighter get put in the worst of positions:

Competing with a nagging injury that turns into a significant one.

Against an opponent whose offensive strength is your biggest defensive weakness.

Your title as champion and barring an unimpressive performance your job itself is on the line.

Anderson Silva faced all of these things, in Chael Sonnen who not only possessed the wrestling pedigree to give him fits, but also attacked with a reckless abandon devoid of the fear and trepidation most of Silvas previous opponents exhibited. For roughly 23 minutes Silva went from nigh invincible pound for pound demigod to a very flawed and human fighter who took a shellacking at the hands of a perceived gimme of a challenger in Sonnen. The previous 6 months of supposed delusional fight hype actually looked like legitimate threats, Cheal was clobbering the previously hard to hit champ, many times with a variety of strikes, from the devastating

to the desperate,

Mongolian Thunder Chops ftw

In the end it was all for naught with minutes left in the fight quite possibly the greatest comeback win in mma miraculously revealed itself in all its rapturous beauty.

The sub that sealed the greatest comeback in MMA.

Shattering loss aside, Sonnen is in the rare company of fighters who come off as winners even in defeat. He has also given the middleweight division the greatest gift of all: hope. Chael made the demi-god champion in Silva look like another mortal. In regards to a rematch I am going to have to say no to it, even though it would do gangbuster ppv sales. Chael has to win another fight and show some improved finishing skills, as he learned the hard way 5 rounds with Anderson Silva is too much time for him to find a way to finish.

The way I see it, if Anderson not only wins but finishes Sonnen again how does that look on his record years from now. I can already see future generations looking at his record and complaining about how he fought unworthy and flawed opponents and one guy back to back. Now if Sonnen manages to win the rematch, that would put them 1-1, does Silva get a rubber match? With the champ out until March 2011 it should be enough time for Chael to get another fight in. Preferably the winner of Okami vs Belfort a fight that needs to happen, you hear me Joe Silva.

The rest of the card was pretty entertaining, even the Fitch vs Alves rematch was entertaining near the end when it seemed Fitch was close to choking out the Brazilian. Alves survived to the bell losing to Fitch again, at least this time it was a UD instead of getting tko’d. Other highlights included Matt Hughes busting out a wrestling submissin (front headlock, Dave Schultz choke) Clay Guida improving his striking to the point were he is breaking jaws, but still using his scrappy top position grappling forcing his opponent to tap via injury. Heavyweight contenders Junior Dos Santos and Roy Nelson had an entertaining but one sided fight which got Junior his first decision win in the UFC and Nelson his first loss. Proving that a solid striking defense can preserve your conscience against the JDS express, if you don’t mind taking a beating in the process.

This was a card to remember and has set a high water mark for mma events in August and some would say the year. Only greedy fans like myself will hope that it will be outdone.

Here are my picks for the Abu Dhabi supercard. Going to stick with the main card seeing as how the undercard requires a ton of research and I am already late with this post to begin with. So lets get to it.

Middleweight

Mark Munoz vs Kendall Grove

This has been a difficult fight for me to pick because of all the interviews of Mike Munoz I have seen. He seems to be a really nice guy I have a hard time picking against him. When Grove last faced a bullying wrestler he submitted the guy lickity split with a via slick triangle. Even with the 6′6 frame Kendall can be bullied, coupled with Munoz’s particularly devastating ground and pound (in his last fight, he literally looked like he was playing the bongos with his fist on his opponents head) I do have sound reasoning for choosing the Philipino Wrecking Machine. But with Groves dangerous bjj off his back I have to consider it a ticking time bomb to counter Marks most dangerous weapon, his dominant top control and g’n'p. Going to bite the bullet and go with the Black House representative.

- Munoz via UD

Lightweight

Terry Etim vs. Rafael Dos Anjos

I’ve seen Dos Anjos on both sides of a one sided ass kicking. And I am pretty sure he will be on the recieving end of one today. Etim may not be willing or able to submit Anjos right out the gate, I still think he can once he softens him up. Both fighters also possess good leg kick techniques but Rafael uses them as a rangefinder while Etim uses them to finish off combos.

- Etim via TKO

Welterweight/Legends League

Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie

2 pioneering legends of the sport clash in battle of genuflecting adjectives. Smugness aside this is one of those fights that in a parallel universe has already taken place when both fighters were in their prime. But since we live in the real world where the best possible matchups don’t always take place due to a multitude of variables, we get the overdue version.

With both fighters in the sublime orange-purple twilight of their respective careers, the fight boils down to who has more still left in their back of tricks & if said tricks are still operable. Matt Hughes barely grinded out a decision over Renzo’s Long Island disciple Matt Serra last year. And with Renzo’s three year gap from his last professional bout, I expect Hughes to do it again. Even though I would be happy as hell for one of the craziest Gracie to ever compete were to pull off a flash sub and have a win in the UFC. Alas, pesky logic dictates otherwise.

- Hughes via Split Decision or late round tko

Lightweight Championship

B.J. Penn Champ vs. Frankie Edgar Challenger

I like Frankie Edgar, the kid is the very definition of pugnacious and scrappy. But he is going up against one of the best fighters in the world/UFC/history of the sport in Baby Jay Penn. I would like to say Edgar can set a blazing pace and try to eke out a decision. But with Penn’s eyes focused on going up in weight to face his white whale yet again. I just hope BJ makes it quick since he doesn’t have to prove anything by toying with opponents for rounds on end to show of his cardio. Frankie’s decent boxing, head movement and wrestling will only be delaying the in inevitable, which will get him a Fight of The Night bonus if he can get to round 3. But I don’t see that happening, at least the getting to round 3 part.

- The Prodigy via calculated savagery….War Edgar either way.

Main Event

Middleweight Championship

Anderson Silva Champ vs. Demian Maia Challenger

Now I can go on and wax poetic about Anderson Silva’s comparable “weakness” on the ground and how a bjj demi god like Demian Maia has a probable avenue to victory should he get and keep it the fight on said ground. And while Silva has shown that he isn’t in possession of awesome takedown defense he has shown the ability to stay out of trouble and go on the offensive off his back.

But I will digress and say that no belt is exchanging hands at UFC 112. If Maia has improved his wrestling and begins the fight by shooting across the octagon like a man possessed he does have chance. But this is Anderson Silva we are talking about here. I would be happy to see Silva lose just to have him destroy his way through the 185lbs. division back to his belt. He may find himself in compromising positions but in the end The Spider will prevail.

- Silva via TKO

I will also be hoping that Mr. Wondeful, Johnson, Kelly and Madsen come out with wins today also. I am also anxious to see how the first outdoor event will go down and if it has an effect on the fighters.We will be on twitter doing a blow by blow for the event. And since the event will be happening at 1 p.m. eastern time. I will do my damnedest to remain unspoiled until later tonight.