Silva

This weekend contains Superbowl Sunday, but how can anybody really care about that compared to what is happening Saturday.

The UFC is presenting UFC 183. The supporting bouts are unusually compelling, but it is all really about the main event.

Andersen Silva will be squaring off against Nick Diaz.

Silva is the former Middleweight champion, and is considered the best fighter to have fought in mixed martial arts...ever...in any weight class.

As recently as July 2013, he looked to be invincible. He was fighting a worthy contender, Chris Weidman. In the middle of the second round, Silva stood within punching range, dropped his hands to his knees, and started dodging his head around. He was daring Weidman to hit him; just fooling around. Weidman landed a bomb, and took Silva's title away with a knockout.

The consensus was that it was a fluke, and that Silva would take the belt back in the rematch, which was held the following December.

Silva came out dead serious, and oozing confidence, but so did Weidman. The end came again in the second round. Silva launched a devastating round kick, that Weidman checked with his own shin. Shinbone met shinbone at a 90 degree angle and Silva's leg snapped. By the time he hit the floor, screaming, the bottom half of his lower leg was sticking out in a direction it was never meant to take.

Two losses, but they were both weird. Was Andersen Silva done, or was he still Andersen Silva? He is 39 years old, after all.

First, he had to heal, which took a long time. Now, a little over a year after his leg snapped, he is going back into the ring.

Who is he facing? Nick Diaz is a decent fighter who has seen better days. He seems to be just legitimate enough on paper to make a respectable opponent. In reality, he's hand-picked to lose.

Diaz is significantly skilled in Jiu-Jitsu, and has turned himself into a nasty striker. He hasn't got one-punch knockout ability, and moves slowly. He also sucks at the one thing that Silva has always had trouble with; take-down ability. He is also from the next smaller weight division, and has never fought at Middleweight.

Silva is the most accomplished puncher and kicker in the world. Standing, he should be able to avoid anything Diaz tries, and should batter him with ease. Diaz is dangerous on the ground, but there is no way he should ever be able to get Andersen down. Silva is also dangerous on the ground.

If both men were at their peak, Silva would destroy Diaz. It would be a horrible mismatch. On top of that, Diaz is small. It hardly seems fair.

If Silva loses, it will be proof that his career is over. Even if he wins, but doesn't look fantastic it will also be a very bad sign.

Sadly, even a sloppy, split-decision win will probably get Silva in line for an immediate third fight with Weidman.

Even if he kicks the crap out of Diaz, and puts him away early, it is such an uneven match-up that it won't be any kind of proof that he's as good as ever.

What would I like to see happen? I'd love it if Silva still has the spark, and shows it. For me, that would mean a knockout within the first half of the first round. If he can get around Diaz's guard, like he used to with far better opponents, and ends it early then the tiny flame of hope will be lit.

Then he'd get his title shot. I bet they'd make it happen before his 40^th birthday in April. I'd love to see him win that one in any fashion whatsoever. I'd also like to see him immediately retire afterwards.

How can a football game hope to match all of that?