It was a good fight...Wanderlei is probably my all time favorite fighter...I still remember his soccer kick of Sakuraba and his destruction of Rampage and many others during his dominating reign in Pride. Sadly that Wand was only seen in glimpses in the UFC and I feel he still has one or two fights left in him...if Rampage didn't piss off Dana I think that would be a perfect swan song for both fighters. War Wanderlei forever!
I don't understand what you need to do to get a 10-8. Rich was a handful of clean shots away from losing the fight.
If I had to guess (a stupid task, trying to imagine what MMA judges are thinking) it is because prior to that near finish, it was an even round that Franklin could have had an edge in. It seems like 10-8s are given most to rounds that are both one-sided and feature a near finish.
If it were up to me, it would be...
10:9 - Pretty much what we think a 10-9 should be nowadays... not lopsided, but with a winner
10:8 - Near finish OR a distinctly dominant round for one fighter
10:7 - Near finish IN a dominant round for one fighter
Anyways, aside from about 2 minutes of round 2 where Rich stopped moving right and started moving straight back with his hands down, he fought an amazing fight. That straight left while moving around a jab, into the outside leg trip in Round 3 was a thing of beauty. Poetry in motion. Perfect gameplan in rounds 4 and 5, although Wanderlei's fatigue helped. He constantly stayed outside the range of Silva lead left hook, and was almost never in line to eat a right hand. Then when Silva would finally close the distance, Franklin would change directions and catch Silva cheating, assuming Franklin would keep circling right. He did it perfectly with that right hook in round 4 (I think) - Silva was not ready for it at all.
I don't understand what you need to do to get a 10-8. Rich was a handful of clean shots away from losing the fight.
That matchup makes sense. They won't throw Bisping in against any power punchers because they want him to get a title shot.
I had that round 10-9 for Silva because I thought up until the point Franklin got rocked he was winning the round. Yeah the near finish certainly counts for a bunch, but you don't just ignore the first 3:30 of the round in my mind.
Franklin's striking looked great for the most part. Wanderlei is obviously still dangerous as all hell. I'd love to see Franklin vs Bisping. Honestly I think Franklin beats him handily.
