UFC 84 Preview: Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine

Keith Jardine (13-3-1, 5-2 UFC)vs. Wanderlei Silva (31-8-1, 1-3 UFC)

Let’s get a couple things out in the open to start this off. First Wanderlei’s UFC record looks bad but 3 of those fights (he went 1-2) happened pre-2001. The guy is still only 32 years old. Second Keith Jardine is getting hosed by this fight. It’s a little-to-gain and everything-to-lose fight. Keith Jardine should be in line for a title shot even he remains inactive, but if he loses this fight he might go the way of Karo Parysian and be stuck constantly having to prove himself. Jardine has KO’d Forrest Griffin who gets to fight for the LHW belt next and he defeated via decision Chuck Liddell, the guy Wanderlei just fought and lost too. It doesn’t make any sense why someone should fight the loser of a fight when they beat the winner. Don’t get me wrong, I am still excited about the fight but it doesn’t mean I have to think its kosher.

Now that’s off my chest let’s talk about the fight. Of all the fights on the main card this should be the most action packed. Wanderlei style is to always go forward even when your face is being beaten in (i.e. the Chuck Liddell fight). Jardine is a smart fighter and showed it by picking apart Chuck Liddell. He even displayed some knock out power by KO’ing Forrest Griffin for the first time in the UFC and knocking down Chuck Liddell too.

The fight should be a smart slug-fest. Just a feeling but I wouldn’t put it past Jardine to maybe try and take Wanderlei down trying the Hannibal sneak attack over the Alps tactic, but that’s just a hunch. Silva is the favorite but he has lost three in a row going back to PRIDE. I went with Wanderlei for the Chuck fight and I am going to stick with my guns and pick Wanderlei by TKO (that pick was probably the kiss of death for Silva’s career I feel like Bill Simmons).