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UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz
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Published: 1/31/2015  at  4:18:00 AM
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UFC 183: Silva vs. Diaz

Saturday, Jan. 31 – 11:30 p.m. ET
Last Vegas, NV

Anderson Silva (33-6) vs. Nick Diaz (27-9-1)

5-Round middleweight fight
Line: Silva -400, Diaz +300

Saturday night marks the return of the greatest fighter in UFC history, as Anderson Silva comes back from injury to take on Nick Diaz at UFC 183 in Las Vegas.

Here is the Bet DSI breakdown on all the big fights on Saturday's UFC 183 main card:

For the first time since December 28, 2013, Anderson Silva will be back fighting in the octagon. In his last fight against Chris Weidman, Silva delivered a kick to Weidman that ended up shattering his leg. It has been a long recovery for Silva, but he appears to be 100 percent ready to go. He enters this fight on a two-fight losing skid, with both of those defeats coming to Weidman. When Silva is healthy, he is the best fighter of all-time. His ability to win a match in many different ways makes him nearly impossible to plan for. He has an opportunity to show he is fully recovered, as he goes up against a guy who definitely is not scared to fight. Like Silva, Diaz has lost his two bouts in a row. Those two losses came to Georges St.-Pierre and Carlos Condit, and Diaz has actually been out longer than Silva, as his last fight was against St.-Pierre on March 16, 2013. Part of the reason for Diaz being out is because Dana White and him have not always been on the same page when it comes to his contract. However, when he enters the Octagon, he is one of the toughest fighters in the sport, and he is not afraid to throw punches with the best of them. While Diaz will come into this fight ready to go, Silva will be out to prove that he deserves another title shot, which could be in store if he is able to win this match. Look for the fight to be close early, but in the end, the heavily-favored SILVA will show the world that he's healthy and earn the victory.

Silva has 33 wins in his career, with 22 of those victories coming by way of knockout. He also has seven wins by decision, and the other four coming by submission (2 RNC, 1 triangle, 1 triangle armbar). What makes the 39-year-old Brazilian so dangerous is his ability to deliver the kick. He does a great job of setting his opponents up, even leaving his hands down, baiting his opponent into getting away from his strategy. Silva has gone past the second round only four times in his UFC career. When it comes to landing significant strikes, Diaz will have a big advantage (5.63 for Diaz, and 3.11 for Silva), but "Spider" is way more accurate when landing strikes (66% for Silva and 42% for Diaz). Silva’s ability to get his opponent off his game could be huge in this fight, as Diaz can get frustrated and become careless. For Silva, the mental part of this bout will be tough, as he can’t hesitate to do the things that made him the only guy to ever defend the belt 10 times. If he is unable to fight the way he has his whole career, Diaz could steal a huge win.

Diaz enters the main event with 27 victories in his career, with 13 of them coming by knockout. He also has eight wins by submission (4 armbar, 2 kimura, 1 RNC, 1 triangle choke), with the other six coming by decision. The 31-year-old from Stockton, California has been a pro since 2001, and he will have an advantage when it comes to grappling (1.44 for Diaz, compared to 0.69 for Silva). Diaz has fought some of the best fighters in the UFC, and his ability to go out and compete has made him a fan favorite, and makes every fight entertaining. With questions about how Silva will perform after his long injury layoff, look for Diaz to do what he does best, and come out swinging early. The 6-foot tall Diaz is at a slight disadvantage with his reach, as Silva stands 6-foot-2.


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