Anderson Silva made a successful comeback tonight at UFC 183, comfortably outpointing Nick Diaz in the main event of the evening.
Round One:
The main event of the evening is underway. Diaz comes out quickly. He tries for a leg kick but misses. Silva circling and Diaz taunting already. He throws a leg kick that lands.
Silva throws his first leg kick. Silva with a big right hand. Diaz still talking to him. Diaz misses with a kick. Diaz suddenly lies down and taunts Silva before getting back up. Diaz is doing all sorts of shenanagins like Silva used to do with funny stances, etc. This is madness.
Silva with another kick. Diaz closing the distance and they exchange in close. Diaz with a couple of leg kicks to that lead leg.
Both men trading strikes with Diaz putting together some of that volume he’s known for. Silva kicks with the leg that was broken.
He lands another leg kick. Now a punch. Diaz has a little blood around his nose. Diaz with a light body kick.
Diaz popping out the jab, but Silva lands a few nice punches. Silva pushes him towards the cage. Diaz presses forward with punches, but gets caught with a counter. Leg kick for Diaz. Silva unleashing with some solid punches as Diaz covers up. He’s warming up to this contest.
Final seconds of the round and they settle down a bit. Diaz with a spinning back kick that comes up short to end the round. Silva looks like he wants to go over to Diaz to say something, but Diaz walks away.
Round Two:
Silva circling and Diaz fakes a couple of kicks. Silva with a stomp to the knee. Diaz not throwing too much at the moment. Silva tries upstairs with a kick to the face that just comes up short. Silva with a leg kick now. Punch from Silva and a kick.
Not much of Diaz’s famed volume striking game so far. Series of leg kicks from Diaz. Silva fires out a couple of punches and then a hard left leg kick.
Diaz with a takedown and Silva sprawls on it easily. Back up and Silva throws a right head kick that’s blocked. Diaz tries the same but misses. A punch and a lead elbow from Silva.
Silva with a leg kick. Diaz responds with one of his own. Left lands from Diaz and Silva fires back with a combination of punches finished by a kick.
A left hand lands for Silva. Diaz still not throwing much. Very hard body kick from Silva. Diaz with a jab that lands. Silva targets the body with a punch.
Diaz lands a punch as Silva holds his arm out straight trying to keep him at bay. Diaz with a couple more punches that land and Silva drops his defensive guard pretty much just allowing Diaz to take a few shots. The round comes to an end and Diaz is trying to get close to Silva to taunt him but gets led away by the referee.
Round Three:
Silva light on his feet and flicks out punches. He stomps to the knee. Now a couple of leg kicks. Another stomp.
Head kick attempt from ‘The Spider’ that’s blocked. Another kick to the knee from Silva. Silva moves forward with a short flurry, but nothing lands meaningfully. Diaz walks forward but not throwing much offense at all here.
Silva with a combination of punches as Diaz covers up. Diaz with a nice couple of right hands. He tries a jumping knee as he starts to get loose. Back to punches now. Diaz lands a few kicks to the lead leg.
Right hand lands to the face and Diaz has some blood around his left eye. More work from Silva, some to the body.
Diaz lands with a couple of punches. He needs more. A brief lull as Diaz circles. Silva lands a kick, Diaz responds and then Silva again.
Diaz coming forward with a combination but Silva counters nicely. Wheel kick just misses for Silva. Diaz lands a punch and Silva responds.
Now Diaz is letting his hands go a bit and is finding a home for some of his strikes, though Silva seems unphased and that’s where the round ends.
Round Four:
Both men kick at the same time twice. Silva with one upstairs. Diaz pumps out the jab. Diaz the one stalking now as Silva circles. Diaz misses with a leg kick, but soon after lands with a couple. Silva with an inside leg kick.
Silva’s offense a little quieter for the time being. Diaz lands with a short flurry of punches. Still working the leg kicks too. Silva now stalking him and lands a body kick. That knee stomp again. He lands a right and targets the body with a jab.
Diaz comes forward with a kick and punch and takes a counter from Diaz. They get in close and Diaz throws an elbow. Swiping kick to the head from Silva just glances his opponent.
Hard leg kick from Silva. Diaz lands a punch to the body. He tries a front kick to the face that misse and a spinning kick that’s equally short.
Punch and a kick from Silva. Diaz with a body kick, but Silva moves out the way. The action quietens down as the round comes to a close. Both men not showing a great deal of urgency to find a finish.
Round Five:
Circling to start the final five minutes. Right hook from Silva and a couple of kicks. Diaz starts taunting him. Silva with a few punches and then a leg kick. Diaz with a head kick attempt, but it’s telegraphed.
Diaz connects with a left hand. They exchange in close and Silva just misses with a head kick attempt from nowhere. High kick from Diaz. He misess with a leg kick. Diaz does connect with a punch to the head though.
Silva works behind the jab then lands a straight left. Diaz targets the lead leg with kicks again.
Silva with a flurry of lefts and rights. He comes forward again and Diaz connects with a few of his own. A knee from Silva and a spinning kick attempt that misses.
Silva light on his feet and flicking out the jab. Diaz lands a leg kick. Silva with an elbow strike. Diaz sporting more blood to his face now. Silva with a crisp left and right that lands. Double jab and a straight for Silva. Diaz misses with a couple of kick attempts and leaps into one final one that also misses.
And that’s it, the fight comes an end. Silva looks like he feels he’s done enough here and vaults over the cage to celebrate with none other than light-heavyweight champ Jon Jones.
Decision:
Not a full-on barnburner, but Silva was comfortable throughout here and deservedly wins by unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45 x2).
After the announcement is made Silva drops to the mat and starts crying. He only stops when Diaz comes over and helps him back to his feet and hugs him.
