UFC 134 Preview
The UFC has spent the better part of the last two years increasing the future of the sport around the world. They have travelled to the Middle East, Europe, Canada, and almost everywhere in the USA. Now it is time for the king of Mixed Martial Arts to go back to their roots as the UFC prepares for their first event in Brazil in over a decade. The sport of MMA had been around for a very long time but it wasn’t until Royce Gracie entered the octagon and dominated using the previously unknown discipline of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. This changed MMA forever and began the seedling of what the UFC would build on. Now with the UFC being the fastest growing sport in the world they will go back to Brazil with a card full of the best fighters in the world that also happen to be Brazilian. The main event will feature the man who many say is the best pound for pound fighter in the world as Anderson Silva will defend his belt against Yushin Okami. Anderson Silva has been considered one of the best fighters to ever fight in the UFC and his record has proved this as he is currently on a 14 fight win streak. There has been many challengers but almost nobody has been able to challenge Silva. The only person that has come close has been Chael Sonnen who took Silva to the 5th round and was winning the fight until Silva caught him and submitted him. Sonnen will now look to get revenge a different way as he has trained Yushin Okami preparing him to fight for the title. Okami was the last person to fight Silva to a non-win, not a loss because Silva was disqualified due to an illegal kick. Okami has a 10-2 record in the UFC and is currently on a three fight win streak. He has impressed with his ability to dominate in the stand up game and the ground and pound. Silva on the other hand has won fights in any way you can think as he has gone the distance to win and he has also submitted and KO’ed opponents. Silva will also have the added aspect of having a sold out home crowd behind him in Rio de Janeiro. Okami and Silva will face off this Saturday as Okami will look to end the reign of Anderson Silva in the middleweight division. Although Okami is the toughest opponent Silva has faced it is hard to bet against someone who has been so dominant for so long. Okami will most likely press forward to make sure he keeps Silva on his toes but I believe Silva will get the win. I think Silva will make Okami pay for coming forward and earn the KO in the 4th round.
Added with Anderson Silva every fight will involve at least one Brazilian fighter including some legendary fighters. This includes the long-awaited return of Minotauro Nogueira who has been sidelined by injuries and surgery. He will finally make his return to the octagon against a young up and coming heavyweight fighter in Brendan Schaub. Schaub is beginning to get a reputation as a legend killer after his last fight against Mirko Cro Cop in which he earned the KO of the Night. Noqueira is the next in line but it may not be as easy as Schaub might think. Nogueira recently recovered from surgery and has claimed that he has never felt better and hopes to make one more run at the heavyweight title. Nogueira will start this climb against Schaub who is on the cusp of becoming one of the top 5 heavyweights. Another legendary Brazilian that will be fighting is former champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua as he takes on another former champion in Forrest Griffin. This will be a great fight as both fighters don’t know the word “quit” and will continue to come forward. Forrest Griffin love to get hit as it seems he gets better every time he gets hit and Rua will gladly oblige him as he is known for coming forward to punish his opponents. Overall the first UFC in Brazil in over a decade looks to be exciting with more than enough home crowd favorites on the card waiting to fight at home for the first time.
Fight Card
Main Event:
Anderson “The Spider” Silva vs. Yushin “Thunder” Okami [Middleweight Title] (PPV)
Main Card:
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Forrest Griffin (PPV)
Brendan “The Hybrid” Schaub vs. Minotauro Nogueira (PPV)
Ross “The Real Deal” Pearson vs. Edson “Junior” Barboza (PPV)
Luiz “Bahna” Cane vs. Stanislav “Stucky” Nedkov (PPV)
Undercard:
Thiago Tavares vs. Spencer “The King” Fisher (Sportsnet)
Rousimar “Toquihno” Palhares vs. Dan Miller (Sportsnet)
Paulo Thiago vs. David “Daudi” Mitchell (Facebook)
Raphael Assuncao vs. Johnny Eduardo (Facebook)
Erick Silva vs. Luis “Beicao” Ramos (Facebook)
Yuri “Marajo” Alcantara vs. Felipe “Sertanejo” Arantes (Facebook)
Yves “Tiger” Jabouin vs. Ian “The Barn Owl” Loveland (Facebook)
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