UFC 125 – Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera Prediction

Fight Overview:  Two of the Light Heavyweight division’s best Muay Thai strikers test their skills against each other.  Silva is the better pure kickboxer, but Vera has a vastly superior ground game, so this should be a competitive bout.

Vera’s Strengths:  Vera has very good muay thai, decent wrestling, and underrated and effective submissions.

Vera’s Weaknesses:  He is not as good a striker as Silva, technique-wise, and he doesn’t have as much knockout power.

Silva’s Strengths:  Silva has extremely good Muay Thai.  He is good from a distance and in the clinch, he has tons of knockout power, and he uses his kicks very effectively.  He also has some of the best takedown defense in the division.

Silva’s Weaknesses:  His submission game is questionable and he has no real offensive grappling skills.

The Verdict:  This is a great matchup for Silva.  Vera is not as good a striker, nor is he as powerful, and he lacks the type of dominant wrestling it takes to nullify Silva’s takedown defense.  Silva will keep this fight standing and put a hurting on Vera.  Silva by T/KO.