Watch UFC 234 with the return of Anderson Silva

A. Silva (right) and I. Adesanya (left) face off in the co-main event. Photo: Reproduction/Youtube ufc

Ultimate opens, on Saturday night (09), the franchise's marathon of events in February. The city of Melbourne (AUS) will be the stage for the expected UFC 234. The fight program's main highlight is the return of Anderson Silva after two years away, in addition to fighting for the middleweight belt (under 84kg).

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The main fight will be the owner of the house, Robert whittaker defending middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum. In the co-main event, Brazilian legend Anderson Silva faces the Nigerian revelation Israel adesanya in a battle of generations. The winner of the duel must be the next challenger for the middleweight title against the winner of the main fight.

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Brazil will also be represented by the experienced Rani Yaya and the newcomers Raulian paiva and Marcos 'Dhalsim' Rosa.

UFC 234 starts on Saturday at 21:30 pm (Brasília time) with the preliminary card. The main fights begin at midnight.

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To get you into the mood UFC 234, we have prepared five reasons for you to attend the event.

1 – The return of Anderson Silva

A. Silva is ready to return to the octagon this Saturday. Photo: Reproduction / Twitter UFC_Brasil

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Despite not being among the protagonists of the main fight, the return of Anderson Silva is the big attraction of UFC 234. The Brazilian was away from Ultimate for two years after being punished by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for failing an anti-doping test.

In his last fight, 'Spider' won Derek Brunson by unanimous decision at UFC 208 in February 2017. Despite the victory, the former middleweight champion is going through an irregular moment, as he has lost four of his last six fights.

A victory over a young UFC promise offers the Brazilian the chance to regain the middleweight title that he owned from 2006 to 2013. The organization's president, Dana White promised 'Spider' that if he overcomes Adesanya he will be the next challenger for the category belt up to 84kg.

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Anderson has 43 fights, 34 victories, eight setbacks and one unsuccessful fight in his professional MMA career.

2 – The Nigerian revelation

I. Adesanya remains undefeated after 15 fights. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook UFC

Israel adesanya will face the most important duel of his career at UFC 234. The young Nigerian will face his childhood idol and Ultimate legend, Anderson Silva. The challenge is so big that 'Last Stylebender' admitted that for him, beating the Brazilian is more important than being the middleweight champion.

At 29, Israel adesanya remains undefeated after 15 fights in his professional career. He debuted in Ultimate in February 2018 and has had four fights since then. After his good performances, the Nigerian achieved sixth place in the organization's middleweight rankings.

3 – Whittaker defends the belt 'at home' The middleweight champion

R. Whittaker will make his first title defense. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @robwhittakermma

Robert whittaker will have the support of the fans in his first title defense. The Australian and Kelvin Gastelum were coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 17 in 2018, but an injury to the champion delayed the middleweight clash. Bearing this in mind, the organization scheduled the fight for 2019 at 'Bobby Knuckles' home.

Whittaker won the interim middleweight belt by winning by winning Yoel romero at UFC 213. With the departure of the division's linear champion Georges St-Pierre, the Australian took the title in 2017.

His first defense would be against the Cuban at UFC 225 in June last year, but as Yoel didn't make weight for the division the fight wasn't worth the title. However, the middleweights fought a war inside the octagon and after five rounds Whittaker was declared the winner by split decision.

4 – Gastelum and the custom of fighting 'away from home'

K. Gastelum has a mission to win the title on Australian soil. Photo: Reproduction Facebook ufc

Kelvin Gastelum will have a difficult task of winning Robert whittaker, with the support of the Australian fans, to win the middleweight belt at UFC 234. But the North American already has a habit of beating the 'hosts'. The challenger has victories against Ronaldo Jacare e Vitor belfort, in duels in Brazil.

The North American returned to the middleweight category in December 2016, when he knocked out Tim Kennedy at UFC 206. Since then, there have been five fights and three victories that have qualified him to compete for the division title. Gastelum has a record of 28 fights, with 15 victories and three setbacks.

5 – The Brazilian trio

Besides Anderson Silva, Brazil will have three more representatives at UFC 234. Rani Yaya face Ricky simon for the bantamweight division on the main card. The Brasilia native is looking for his fourth consecutive victory while his rival wants his third victory in Ultimate. The Brazilian's last commitment was in August 2018, at UFC Lincoln, when he submitted Luke sanders in the first round. He has a record of 35 fights, with 26 wins and nine losses.

Raulian paiva will make her Ultimate debut against Kai-Kara France in the flyweight division on the preliminary card. The Amapá native was hired by the organization after beating Allan 'Puro Osso' Nascimento in the Contender Series Brasil. In 19 fights, the Brazilian has 18 triumphs and one setback.

student of Anderson Silva, Marcos 'Dhalsim' Rosa will have his first fight in Ultimate. The Brazilian will face Lando vannata in the lightweight division on the preliminary card. He is coming off a TKO victory at 38 seconds of the first round over Alessandro Taiete at Adventures Fighters Tournament 15 in October last year.