The Good Fight will hold Battle at Virginia Beach at the Bayside Recreation Center on Saturday, August 29, 2009 with divisions for kids, teens, men and women in single elimination and consolation match format with both Gi and No-Gi divisions.   Ticket prices for spectators start at $15 if purchased the day of the fight, or $10 if pre-ordering in advance.    Registration and weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m., with fights beginning at 10 a.m., with all first place winners receiving a samurai sword.  Fighters looking to participate in the event can still register online.

For more information, Jim Fortunato can be contacted at (856) 343-4722.

For the last three years, since his middleweight debut against Chris Leben at UFC: Ultimate Fight Night 5 in 2006, Anderson Silva has been widely considered to be the most dominant force in the UFC.

Now fighting at light heavyweight, Silva is 24 and 4 in his professional MMA career, and remains undefeated in the UFC. Silva is considered by Sherdog to be the number one pound for pound fighter and holds the record for most consecutive UFC wins, which now stands at 9.

One golden question has recently – not so recently for some – imbedded itself in minds of all Silva fans.

Why is this man so unstoppable?

I believe it is Silva’s expansive martial arts background, lanky body, and awkward style that make him such a force to be reckoned with.

Since the age of 14, Silva has been training to be the “superhero” he is today. He first studied Tae Kwon do and Judo, and earned his black-belt in each at 18. For the next decade he devoted himself to boxing and kickboxing and had a short lived boxing career in the late 90’s.

Silva’s most recent training took place in 2006 under the tutelage of MMA heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Under Nogueira, Silva received his black-belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu; one of the foremost fighting influences in MMA.

Silva stands 6 feet 2 inches and has a reach of 77.6 inches; making him a freak of nature at 185 pounds, the heavy end of the middleweight devision, which ranges from 177 to 185 pounds. He has long legs as well, and utilizes his reach advantage without hesitation whether it be a flurry of kicks, or smothering punches which keep his opponents at bay.

His unique blend of styles and ferocity are so devastating because he throws awkward strikes from awkward angles at awkward times; making him extremely unpredictable and effective.

“This is a different kind of striker,” said Joe Rogan after Silva’s debut knockout of Chris Leben. Silva finished Leben with a knee to the face after a brutal barrage of punches. Effective strikes like that are powerful and difficult to defend against. None can pull them off like Silva.

One of Silva’s best and most awkward performances was before his domination of the UFC, During Cage Rage 16, against Tony Fryklind. Right away Silva’s physical advantages were apparent. He poured on the offense; showcasing just how devastating a lanky fighter could be.

Silva was able to land vicious knees to Fryklind’s body; using his arms and chest to smother his shorter opponent. He then followed up with a flying knee, connecting with Fryklind’s face, then finishing his man with an incredible move that has yet to be duplicated; a backwards elbow right on the button of Fryklind’s chin.

Silva’s knockout of Tony Fryklind is one of the most unorthodox I have ever seen. That is why when Silva fights it is exciting and why he is a great champion. Fans know they can expect excitement. He will not roll around on the ground and he will definitely not let someone else control the fight. Moves like backwards elbows and air-born knees are exactly why Anderson Silva is synonymous with devastation and domination.