UFC 117: Anderson Silva Favored To Defend Middleweight Title Against Chael Sonnen

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva has won his last 12 matches, and has successfully defended his UFC Middleweight Championship title 6 times, the most by any UFC Fighter. Now, Anderson Silva is favored to make it a 7th straight title defense when he faces top contender Chael Sonnen in UFC 117, which will be held on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Center in Oakland, California.

Chael Sonnen is three for four wins since he entered the UFC, and most notable were the wins of Chael Sonnen over Nate Marquardt, Dan Miller and Yushin Okami.

While Chael Sonnen has booked these wins, he has done so via decision, and he hasn't delivered a KO or a TKO since 2007. So, it is highly unlikely that Chael Sonnen will get to KO Anderson Silva. Chael Sonnen may be a good fighter, but he doesn't have the phenom-like striking power to finish a fight, although he surely has the skills to last in one.

Anderson Silva has dominated his last opponents, but maybe not in the style that UFC fans expect of Anderson Silva. Most UFC fans want to see Anderson Silva knock out his opponents and be very aggressive, but lately he's just settled to dominate without going in for the finish as was seen in his championship bout against Demian Maia, were fans felt Anderson Silva could have ended the fight much earlier and with much more gusto.

Nevertheless, Anderson Silva knows how to win UFC championship matches, and he knows how to pace it and win rounds. And if necessary, Anderson Silva is also capable of a knock-out punch, which is what he's done to the likes of title contenders Forrest Griffin, Rich Franklin and James Irvin.

UFC President Dana White though has suggested that if Anderson Silva fights again like the way he did in Abu Dhabi against Demian Maia, then he might get cut from the UFC.

Maybe Anderson Silva's hardest enemy will be hope to please Dana White with a spectacular win.