Cormier wrestles Silva for 3 rounds to take uninspiring win
Daniel Cormier used his wrestling to erase any hope of a magical performance from "The Spider."
The UFC light heavyweight champion won a unanimous decision against last-minute replacement Anderson Silva at UFC 200 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Par décision unanime, Daniel Cormier l'emporte sur Anderson Silva #UFC200 pic.twitter.com/VLbyFGmcAJ
— RDS (@RDSca) July 10, 2016
Cormier won for the third straight time, though it was less satisfying than if he had been able to settle the score with his rival Jon Jones. The two were scheduled to face off in the main event of UFC 200, but Jones was removed from the card Wednesday after testing positive for a banned substance.
Related: UFC paints Jones as villain in Cormier-Silva pre-fight video
He was quickly replaced by Silva and the fight was bumped down the card and changed to a three-round, non-title fight.
There was a palpable buzz for Silva, the former middleweight champion who stepped in on two days notice to fight Cormier. The crowd at the T-Mobile Arena showered him with love and appreciation when he made his entrance.
アンデウソン・シウバ🕷ザ・スパイダー @SpiderAnderson コーミエ戦🎉🎉🎉 #UFC200 pic.twitter.com/dFKSO9MLzy
— UFCジャパン (@ufc_jp) July 10, 2016
That was the most cheering he would hear because once the bout started, it was all Cormier.
To Silva's credit, he looked loose and comfortable as he tried to work his infamous standup against his younger, more explosive opponent. But it was only a matter of time before Cormier got a hold of him.
Once Cormier got his hooks in Silva, he dragged him to the mat and proceeded to advance into top position where he remained for most of the fight.
#UFC200 Update:
— Modern Seoul (@ModernSeoul) July 10, 2016
Daniel Cormier takes round 1 vs. Anderson Silva pic.twitter.com/eUqULtdhpk
The fans booed lustily at Cormier's safe tactics. However, they proved to be smart as the dangerous Silva actually appeared to stun Cormier in the closing seconds of Round 3.
Cormier clinched up again to snuff out the comeback and make it to the decision.
Though he can hardly be blamed for the underwhelming performance given the extenuating circumstances of the matchup, Silva is now winless in his last five fights, including a win that was turned into a no-contest when Silva failed a drug test.
Silva was once one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC, but he hasn't seen a victory since October 2012.