Anderson (left) and Vitor (right) in a historic fight at UFC 126. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook
February 5th was immortalized in the history of MMA. Ten years ago, Anderson Silva e Vitor belfort they were competing for the UFC middleweight belt (up to 83,9 kg), to mark one of the most emblematic fights in the sport. At the time, the 'Spider' got the better of it, with emphasis on his front kick, which embodies the organization's image throughout much of the world.
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The importance of combat in Brazil was marked by the recognized image of the athletes. At that time, there was still a lot of resistance from the average public in accepting MMA, which was undergoing evolutions since 'Vale Tudo' and Pride.
Anderson Silva, who had just surpassed his limits by finishing his arch-rival Chael Sonnen in the fifth round, in a fight marked by the North American's dominance, he was the biggest name in Ultimate at that moment. He had won 13 consecutive victories and was already considered, by many experts, as the greatest fighter of all time. Still, his name was not as recognized by the Brazilian media and fans.
Vitor belfort He helped spread the name of martial arts in Brazil, after winning numerous tournaments in the sport. The 'Phenomenon' was a name also recognized by the general public for having participated in the celebrity reality show entitled 'Casa dos Artistas', in 2002, which was broadcast on SBT, one of the largest television communication networks in the country. On that occasion, he promoted the name of Ultimate and helped – indirectly – to get the broadcaster interested in the fight he would have, against Chuck Lidell, at UFC 37.5.
HISTORY OF RIVALRY
Anderson Silva e Vitor belfort had already trained together at 'Black house' and Team Nogueira, created by Rodrigo Minotauro e Rogério Minotouro. However, the 'Spider' accused the 'Phenomenon' of breaking a team code, of never facing each other in an official fight.
The fighters dealt with external pressure from the media, which treated the fight as the 'Fight of the Century'. A few days before the duel took place, Belfort declared that his opponent was wearing a 'mask' of a good guy that did not suit him and the climate, which was mild, changed. So, Anderson used the accessory at the weigh-in and faced each other, in another emblematic image in the world of fights.
THE FIGHT
The atmosphere of the fight was different from anything either had experienced as professionals. With countless Brazilians in Las Vegas, in the United States, the atmosphere seemed like an 'invasion'. In fact, even Mário Yamasaki, the only Brazilian referee, was selected for the duel.
In the fight, the first minute was marked by great caution from both combatants. After receiving a kick from Anderson, Belfort cut short and took him down. However, the fight did not even continue on the ground, with the champion managing to free himself shortly afterwards. During study time,Spider' he concentrated and landed a front kick to the chin of the 'Phenomenon', who already fell bewildered. Silva still landed a few blows before Yamasaki declared the end of the fight.
EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED…
It was the end of the 'Fight of the Century', but the beginning of the rise of Ultimate. Since then, there have been 19 events in Brazil, which ranks second only behind the United States. Still in the country, the organization promoted four seasons of 'The Ultimate Fighter', on Rede Globo.
Currently, the franchise has around 33 million followers, if all platforms are added together. And, yes, much of it came from the duel that was, for many, the great 'watershed' in MMA. The rivalry only lasted 3m25s inside the octagon, but it was enough for the history of martial arts to become – once and for all – popular with Brazilians.
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