UFC welterweight Erick Silva was already something of a controversial figure out of the cage, but he hasn't really done much to frustrate fans in the cage...until now. At UFC 196, opposite Nordine Taleb, the Brazilian knockout artist drew the ire of fans and pundits when he seemingly extended his hand for a glove touch and then followed it up with a sucker punch as Taleb extended his hand in return.
You can check out the moment here, per the UFC:
?? #UFC196 https://t.co/0VlRGZFp0R
— #UFC196 (@ufc) March 6, 2016
The punch didn't do much damage, but the maneuver drew the ire of onlookers. Bleacher Report's Jonathan Snowden labeled it "solid scumbaggery." "Poor sportsmanship," said MMAJunkie.com's Brent Brookhouse. The list goes on.
Well, anyone who was hoping for comeuppance for Silva didn't have to wait very long.
In the early goings of the second round, Silva went for a body kick. Taleb caught the kick with his left hand and sent a right straight down the pipe that cracked Silva cleanly. That led to a rare one-punch knockout that tied Silva in a knot and sent him crashing to the canvas face-first. Fox Sports: UFC provided reaction to the move:
OH!!!!!!!!
Nordine Taleb catches a kick from Erick Silva and knocks him OUT COLD with a counter right hand! #UFC196 https://t.co/Ny7rCH0Ql1
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) March 6, 2016
The loss is Silva's second in a row, evening his UFC record at 6-6. It's a disappointing turn for the 31-year-old, who was once regarded as one of the UFC's top prospects. Since losing to Top 10 mainstay Jon Fitch, Silva has been unable to score wins over anyone except blatantly overmatched competitors.
While Silva's ceiling as a fighter lowers by the month, he will likely remain with the UFC for the foreseeable future. Look for the UFC to help him back into the win column with a squash match in Brazil.
