it is possible the fans were booing leites' buttflopping instead
Possibly, but even Dana White had something negative to say.
Hopefully a friend recorded the fight on their DVR.
‘Spider’ BitesFor the second time in as many appearances, middleweight champion Anderson Silva finds himself under heavy scrutiny from fans and the media. Not even White, one of his most ardent supporters, could look past his performance in a lackluster five-round decision win against Thales Leites at UFC 97.
“I wasn’t thrilled with it,” said White, who later hinted at challenging the champion with a return to the 205-pound division. “I did not like the fight at all -- on either side.”
Silva moved into the record books as he passed UFC hall of famer Royce Gracie and welterweight contender Jon Fitch for most consecutive victories inside the Octagon with his ninth. The 34-year-old Brazilian has won 10 straight bouts overall. Still, he wound up on the defensive after his triumph over Leites.
Photo by Sherdog.com
Fans chanted for GSP at UFC 97.
“I go out there and train to try and be efficient and have a perfect fight,” Silva said. “Not every fight is going to be a knockout. Not every fight is going to be a spectacular finish. What I trained to do, I felt like I executed in there. He wasn’t able to execute his game, and I was able to do mine. I walked away with the victory and the belt still.”
Silva was visibly flustered by the negative reaction he received but remained diplomatic in the face of criticism.
“I’m comfortable with people’s opinions,” he said. “People have a right to their own opinions. I was unable to finish. Sometimes, I’m able to finish guys; sometimes, I’m not able to. I proved to everybody I can go five rounds and I’m in good shape.”
White addressed a potential showdown between Silva and current welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, who will defend his belt against Brazilian bomber Thiago Alves at UFC 100 on July 11 in Las Vegas. Chants of “GSP! GSP!” rang out during the Silva-Leites match.
“Everybody’s chanting GSP,” White said. “GSP has probably the toughest fight of his career coming up. Do not overlook Thiago Alves. That’s going to be a very hard fight for him. Georges St. Pierre can’t start looking at Anderson Silva until he gets past Thiago Alves.”