Jackson-Silva Preview

Last week, I put a poll on the front page of IWF. Look, it's still there! It asked people to choose which upcoming fight they were most excited about. Before I even wrote the answers, I knew what my choice would be. Here are the clues: it involves a trilogy, two of MMA's best knockouts, and a high speed chase through Los Angeles.

I'll spare you the history and get to the good stuff:

How Silva wins: Silva wins by doing exactly what he did in the first two fights with Jackson. Get the clinch, win the clinch, and throw knees until he hears the bell. Silva was absolutely vicious in his early fights with Jackson and he'll need that edge in order to beat the much-improved Jackson. Silva's cardio should be better too, so look for him to push the fight into the deeper rounds.

How Jackson wins: Keep distance and counter punch, a la UFC 71. Jackson won't win in the clinch or if it goes to a decision, so he needs to find a balance between pushing the pace and being careful. Jackson should be the stronger man, physically, and might be able to have his way with Wanderlei if he can trip the Brazilian and end up on top.

Who wins and why: Silva wins easily. Jackson has had too much going on in his life to give a long and hard training camp the attention it deserves. We know he is lazy when it comes to his training: the mental instability and court proceedings provided even more distraction on top of his usual malaise. Meanwhile, Silva has been a beast as of late and should continue his road to the top with a PRIDE 28 style victory.