5 Biggest freak show fights in MMA history

#2 Giant Silva vs. Henry Sentoryu ties with Giant Silva vs. Akebono

Giant Silva and Sentoryu (* Credits- ZUFFA LLC).

One can’t possibly fit all Paulo Cesar da Silva fights in one list. The man better known as ‘Giant Silva’ has a pro-MMA record of two victories with six defeats, with his pair of wins being over Sentoryu and Akebono.

Here’s the tale-of-the-tape for these matchups- Giant Silva (7’2”, 385 pounds); Henry Sentoryu (5’9” 300 pounds); Akebono Taro (6’8”, 550 pounds).

Giant Silva and Akebono (* Credits- K-1)

Giant Silva isn’t to be confused with the WCW/WWF pro-wrestler the late-Jorge Gonzalez aka El Gigante/Giant Gonzalez, who faced the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 19. Although both aforementioned giants have performed as pro-wrestlers in the WWF.

Nevertheless, Silva’s fight against Sentoryu at Pride Total Elimination 2004 and against Akebono at ‘K-1 Premium 2006 Dynamite!!’ are both without a doubt the craziest (non) fights in our sport’s young history.

After losing to MMA veteran Heath Herring at Pride’s year-end event in 2003, Silva fought Sentoryu, a sumo wrestler who had zero knowledge about MMA techniques; submitting the 5’9” stout sumo via an awkward kimura. Silva’s final pro-fight would come against Akebono, also ending in a kimura-sub win for Silva.

Words can’t rightfully describe how cringe-worthy both fights were (as was any Giant Silva or Akebono fight!), with two sumo wrestlers who know nothing about fighting, going up against the slow, plodding Giant who himself had difficulty walking let alone putting up a fight. Thank you, Nobuyuki Sakakibara! Up next is the mother of all freak shows...