Tonight my friends is the night, the night where two of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world meet in the center of the octagon. Tonight is Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort for the UFC Middleweight championship at UFC 126. Fans of mixed martial arts know just how amazing this fight could be, as two of the best strikers in the world are about to clash in the center of the cage.
On one side is the defending champion and pound for pound best fighter in the world, the UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Silva is undefeated in the UFC and has broken many records inside the company. His pinpoint accuracy and lethal Muai Thai has made him the most feared fighter in the world in two weight classes. His destruction of names like Dan Henderson and Nate Marquartd proved he is the best middleweight fighter of all time and his ventures into the light heavyweight devision showed just how deadly this man truly is. His second fight at light heavyweight against Forrest Griffen at UFC 101 was remarkable. Griffen who was a former Light Heavyweight champion was embarrassed in the fight as Silva danced with his hands down, ducking his opponents attack until finally knocking him out with a falling away jab. If you have not seen the fight, I highly recommend doing so because it is a ballet of violence, and shows just how far and away better Anderson Silva is from the rest of the planet when it comes to fighting. His last performance inside the octagon a Middleweight title defense against Chael Sonnen won fight of the year from many MMA publications and in my opinion was the most incredible comeback not only in the UFC but mixed martial arts history. Before the fight, Sonnen trash talked and hyped the fight like a professional wrestler, saying how we was going to dominate and beat up the champion. He called Silva many degradable names including “fraud” and “phony” and even insulted Silva's jujitsu trainer and friend, legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. For four and a half rounds, Sonnen backed up everything he said, as he repeatedly took Anderson Silva down and worked his ground and pound putting a beating on the champion that was never before seen. However, Sonnen made one tiny mistake during the last minute of the last round and was submitted via triangle choke. Anderson Silva not only defended his friend and master's honor by submitting his opponent, but he also showed the true heart of a champion by never giving up. A seemingly invincible champion with deadly fast and accurate striking, an amazing ground game and a true warriors heart, not many people would be ready and willing to fight this man but Vitor Belfort is not a normal human being.
Belfort, the challenger in the title fight is the fastest striker in the world and has huge power behind that speed. To say Belfort has the fastest hands in MMA would be an understatement since nobody comes close to matching his speed. Belfort like Silva is also a multi-division fighter and was a former Light Heavyweight champion of the UFC in the older days. When Belfort debuted for the UFC in 1997, he was revolutionary. Never before had the sport seen a fighter with so much speed and power, who was knocking people out left and right with relative ease. However, a few personal and professional factors effected Belfort and his fighting career took a back seat. The mysterious kidnapping of his sister, was the main reason and during this time his heart was not in fighting and he suffered some bad loses. Now, those issues are resolved and behind him and the fear that Belfort once established in his opponents eyes is back. His recent knockout of Matt Lindland had many wondering if Lindland was in fact dead in the center of the ring and his knockout over Rich Franklin proved it was not a fluke and that Vitor Belfort was truly back. Both knockouts came so fast that the only way to see where the strike came from was to use slow motion replay.
This is what makes this fight so interesting, since Silva has never faced anyone with the speed of Belfort. Anderson is used to being the faster striker and he uses his reflexes very well to avoid his opponents strikes. This will not be the case on Saturday night. Another reason why this fight is so important is the true dislike these two men have for each other. Even though both men have downplayed the fight by not saying much and complimenting each other's fighting style, anyone who saw yesterdays weigh-ins could tell this fight is personal between the two. Actions speak louder than words and the stare down told the true story. These two men were nose to nose, ready to start throwing hands right on the spot. It was recently discovered that Silva and Belfort used to train together as well as be friends. When Belfort's sister was kidnapped Silva moved with Belfort to another part of Brazil to show comfort for his friend. They both trained together at the acclaimed Chute Boxe Academy and were known for having wars with one another during training. However, animosity exists now because Silva takes it personal that his friend would agree to fight him, after everything they have been through. For Silva, the sheer fact Belfort agreed to take this fight was a slap in the face. Belfort is claiming that the fight is just a sport, but anyone with half a brain knows he wants all the accolades that Silva currently has including the gold UFC belt.
It is not only the biggest fight in the UFC's middleweight division but it is also the biggest fight in Brazilian history, as it has gained as much press and build up in Brazil as the Super Bowl does in America. Tonight, many questions will be answered because it is the biggest fight of both fighters lives. It is impossible for me to predict a winner, since both guys have unrivaled skills. All I can say is the winner are the fans because we will either see a living legend add to his legacy and add another notch to his belt or we will see the beginning of a new reign in the Middleweight division. Saturday promises to deliver fireworks and I am personally more excited for UFC 126 than the Super Bowl on Sunday.
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