He's long been among a handful of the most popular fighters in mixed martial arts, but his popularity may be at an all-time high despite losing to Rich Franklin (25-4 MMA, 11-3 UFC) in a 195-pound catchweight bout Saturday at Lanxess Arena in the main event of UFC 99.

Silva rocked Franklin in a couple of occasion with powerful rights than helped him score some of the most dramatic knockout victories in the sport's history. Too often, though, Silva threw only one punch at a time and Franklin, using his quickness and cage awareness, would dance easily out of range which help get him an un-popular victory.