Pros Pick: Silva vs. Cote
Mike Sloan Oct 25, 2008
Middleweight champion Anderson
Silva puts his title on the line against Patrick Cote
at UFC 90 this Saturday at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.,
just northwest of Chicago. The main event promises a shootout
between two heavy-handed knockout artists, and most mixed martial
arts insiders do not expect the fight to go the full five
rounds.
So what exactly goes down? Sherdog.com polled a number of fighters and trainers, seeking their opinions on the featured bout at UFC 90.
Bas
Rutten: Anderson Silva seems to be unstoppable. If he
takes this lightly -- what he probably did against Ryo Chonan [at
Pride “Shockwave 2004”] -- he might get caught with not a
submission but a strike. But I believe he learned from that mistake
and will be ready, especially because he said he wants to retire;
he wants to end up on top. I think Silva is going to win, either by
KO or submission, but I have been wrong before. Logic doesn’t work
in MMA, I found out.
Ricardo Liborio: Anderson should win if the fight stays up. [He’s] got to be careful with a hard hitter [in] Cote.
Jason Lambert: Silva [by] KO.
Jorge Santiago: Anderson will win by KO [via] flying knee.
Pete Sell: My boy Cote by knockout. Cote is a tough fighter and will not shy away. There is upset [written] all over this fight.
Rich Clementi: I think it’s going to be a lot closer than people think. Cote is a real gamer. Great fight, but Anderson comes away with a win via pure beauty.
Jeff Monson: Anderson Silva by KO. I don’t know what Cote can do in this one.
Guy Mezger: Cote has the puncher’s chance to win. Silva has better skills on stand-up and [on the] ground. If I was a betting man, I would have to go with Silva.
Alan Belcher: Good match. You rarely ever see a match where neither fighter wants to go to the ground. Cote will get beat if he stands, and if he tries to take [Silva] down, it will be worse for him. Anything can happen.
The pros do not see a
letdown from the sport's
pound-for-pound ace.
Ron
Frazier: Anderson Silva by second-round TKO.
Zac George: Competitive first round, [but] Silva gets comfortable and [starts to] land hard. Silva [by] TKO [or] KO [in the] second round.
Troy Mandaloniz: The cards are in Anderson’s favor, but Cote may shock the world.
Trevor Prangley: Silva in dramatic fashion.
Randy Couture: Patrick Cote is always gonna have a puncher’s chance in any fight, and he is a very diligent fighter, but he doesn’t have enough tools to deal with Anderson. Cote’s strength is his stand-up, and that’s a bad idea with the long, rangy [and] precise Silva.
Mac Danzig: Silva seems mildly immortal right now. Cote is great, but he’s a mortal like the rest of us. Silva will lose eventually, but not now, not to Cote.
Kevin Burns: Anderson Silva is on top of his game, and Cote will be another victim of his skills. Cote’s a good fighter but not on [Silva’s] level.
Mike Whitehead: Silva [in] round two, [by] KO. I like Cote, though.
Nick Thompson: No doubt Cote is tough, but that isn’t going to be enough to beat Anderson. See Anderson versus Leben for how this fight ends.
Travis Lutter: I have fought both guys, and they are basically the same fighter. The major difference is Anderson is just way better at everything. I don’t see this fight going to the second round.
Micah Miller: It’s my man crush versus one of my heroes. With the proper gameplan, Cote can keep it close, but Silva is more well-rounded, and I think that will shine through in the second.
Luigi Fioravanti: Silva by KO or submission [in] round two.
Gabe Ruediger: Anderson will finish him within three rounds. Cote is a tough fighter and skilled, but Anderson is on a different level.
Chael Sonnen: I like Cote in this one. I think Patrick will stand up to him.
Cub Swanson: Silva [via] first-round TKO.
Matt Lindland: Are you kidding me? Anderson takes this easily.
Johny Hendricks: I don’t think anybody can beat Silva right now; he’s too good. He doesn’t have to worry about takedowns, he’s got heavy hands and throws clean strikes, good kicks, he’s good in the clinch and his ground game is good. Patrick, I don’t think, has anything to offer to that. He can hit hard, and, if he can catch him, I think that’s the only real way he can win that fight. I think Patrick is going to come out and try to take him down, because that’s where his only weakness is, and he’ll try and stay on top and maybe try to pull out a boring win. Now if he can do that, I think that’s the only way [Cote] is going to win. That’s really the only way somebody is going to beat Anderson right now. If Cote doesn’t do that, and he comes out and tries to bang, it’s going to be a very, very quick fight.
Marvin Eastman: Anderson by submission [in the] third round.
Kit Cope: Silva versus Cote is a lesson in futility. Cote would need to have something new and deadly in his arsenal that we haven’t seen yet to beat Silva. Anderson is too technical in all areas, and Patrick isn’t really a standout in any. I call Silva before halfway through the second.
Mark Selbee: “The Spider” wins easy. He may truly be the best pound-for-pound fighter today. He simply outclasses Patrick Cote on every level. Cote will fight like a warrior but lacks the tools necessary to be competitive.
Duke Roufus: Cote is on a great upswing in his career, but Silva is on a streak beating so many great fighters convincingly. Patrick should swing for the fences. Silva [by] KO [in the] second round.
Jaime Fletcher: Cote will come out more than willing to trade with his big right hand. Just because of the way both of these guys like to throw bombs, I can’t see it lasting long. Silva by KO [in the] second round.
Erik Paulson: I think that Anderson is more well-rounded on the ground than Cote, and that’s where this fight might end up.
Eddy Millis: Silva, Silva, Silva by KO. Boot to the head.
The Final Tallies
Pros who picked Silva: 27
Pros who picked Cote: 2
No pick: 5
So what exactly goes down? Sherdog.com polled a number of fighters and trainers, seeking their opinions on the featured bout at UFC 90.
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Ricardo Liborio: Anderson should win if the fight stays up. [He’s] got to be careful with a hard hitter [in] Cote.
Dewey
Cooper: Silva is the most well-versed MMA fighter in the
game right now. In order to defeat him, Cote will have to be
aggressive and land punishing strikes, as well as not go to the
ground. [He must] outwork Silva or land a one punch knockout-type
of blow. Cote is a good challenge for Silva. He has good, explosive
punching power, but right now, Silva is [at] the top of the food
chain. I predict Silva by second-round KO win, finishing him with
dynamic strikes.
Jason Lambert: Silva [by] KO.
Jorge Santiago: Anderson will win by KO [via] flying knee.
Pete Sell: My boy Cote by knockout. Cote is a tough fighter and will not shy away. There is upset [written] all over this fight.
Rich Clementi: I think it’s going to be a lot closer than people think. Cote is a real gamer. Great fight, but Anderson comes away with a win via pure beauty.
Jeff Monson: Anderson Silva by KO. I don’t know what Cote can do in this one.
Guy Mezger: Cote has the puncher’s chance to win. Silva has better skills on stand-up and [on the] ground. If I was a betting man, I would have to go with Silva.
Alan Belcher: Good match. You rarely ever see a match where neither fighter wants to go to the ground. Cote will get beat if he stands, and if he tries to take [Silva] down, it will be worse for him. Anything can happen.
Jeff
Sherwood/Sherdog.com
letdown from the sport's
pound-for-pound ace.
Zac George: Competitive first round, [but] Silva gets comfortable and [starts to] land hard. Silva [by] TKO [or] KO [in the] second round.
Troy Mandaloniz: The cards are in Anderson’s favor, but Cote may shock the world.
Trevor Prangley: Silva in dramatic fashion.
Randy Couture: Patrick Cote is always gonna have a puncher’s chance in any fight, and he is a very diligent fighter, but he doesn’t have enough tools to deal with Anderson. Cote’s strength is his stand-up, and that’s a bad idea with the long, rangy [and] precise Silva.
Mac Danzig: Silva seems mildly immortal right now. Cote is great, but he’s a mortal like the rest of us. Silva will lose eventually, but not now, not to Cote.
Kevin Burns: Anderson Silva is on top of his game, and Cote will be another victim of his skills. Cote’s a good fighter but not on [Silva’s] level.
Mike Whitehead: Silva [in] round two, [by] KO. I like Cote, though.
Nick Thompson: No doubt Cote is tough, but that isn’t going to be enough to beat Anderson. See Anderson versus Leben for how this fight ends.
Travis Lutter: I have fought both guys, and they are basically the same fighter. The major difference is Anderson is just way better at everything. I don’t see this fight going to the second round.
Micah Miller: It’s my man crush versus one of my heroes. With the proper gameplan, Cote can keep it close, but Silva is more well-rounded, and I think that will shine through in the second.
Luigi Fioravanti: Silva by KO or submission [in] round two.
Gabe Ruediger: Anderson will finish him within three rounds. Cote is a tough fighter and skilled, but Anderson is on a different level.
Chael Sonnen: I like Cote in this one. I think Patrick will stand up to him.
Cub Swanson: Silva [via] first-round TKO.
Matt Lindland: Are you kidding me? Anderson takes this easily.
Johny Hendricks: I don’t think anybody can beat Silva right now; he’s too good. He doesn’t have to worry about takedowns, he’s got heavy hands and throws clean strikes, good kicks, he’s good in the clinch and his ground game is good. Patrick, I don’t think, has anything to offer to that. He can hit hard, and, if he can catch him, I think that’s the only real way he can win that fight. I think Patrick is going to come out and try to take him down, because that’s where his only weakness is, and he’ll try and stay on top and maybe try to pull out a boring win. Now if he can do that, I think that’s the only way [Cote] is going to win. That’s really the only way somebody is going to beat Anderson right now. If Cote doesn’t do that, and he comes out and tries to bang, it’s going to be a very, very quick fight.
Marvin Eastman: Anderson by submission [in the] third round.
Kit Cope: Silva versus Cote is a lesson in futility. Cote would need to have something new and deadly in his arsenal that we haven’t seen yet to beat Silva. Anderson is too technical in all areas, and Patrick isn’t really a standout in any. I call Silva before halfway through the second.
Mark Selbee: “The Spider” wins easy. He may truly be the best pound-for-pound fighter today. He simply outclasses Patrick Cote on every level. Cote will fight like a warrior but lacks the tools necessary to be competitive.
Duke Roufus: Cote is on a great upswing in his career, but Silva is on a streak beating so many great fighters convincingly. Patrick should swing for the fences. Silva [by] KO [in the] second round.
Jaime Fletcher: Cote will come out more than willing to trade with his big right hand. Just because of the way both of these guys like to throw bombs, I can’t see it lasting long. Silva by KO [in the] second round.
Erik Paulson: I think that Anderson is more well-rounded on the ground than Cote, and that’s where this fight might end up.
Eddy Millis: Silva, Silva, Silva by KO. Boot to the head.
The Final Tallies
Pros who picked Silva: 27
Pros who picked Cote: 2
No pick: 5
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