When it was learned that Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort would be as opposing coaches on the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter Brazil, it also became apparent a rematch between the two rivals would eventually culminate.
Belfort and Silva met once before in the Octagon, as “The Phenom” unleashed a wild flurry on Silva and defeated his opponent in just 44 seconds at UFC 17.5.
The two competitors have led very different careers since then, but the image of Belfort blasting through Silva with relative ease still remains in the minds of many fans to this day.
And for what it’s worth, the UFC is anticipating a big expansion over in South America and the show will more than likely draw a lot of viewers.
Sadly, the idea of matching up the same competitors, especially when Silva’s skills have dramatically declined over the years, serves no purpose other than recycling a grudge match to attract ratings.
While recording a big win over Cung Le at UFC 139, the truth is that Silva can no longer compete with the elite fighters in the middleweight division. Unlike Silva, Belfort at least still has the skills to remain a contender at 185 pounds, although his age might suggest otherwise.
If the UFC hopes on making a good first impression, it wouldn’t be smart to give “The Axe Murderer” an opportunity against an opponent whose speed and knockout power still exist.
Silva might look at this bout as a chance to entertain the fans, but due the amount of damage he has absorbed throughout his legendary career, one would suggest this bout will be far from entertaining as opposed to one-sided.
Silva’s prime years are long and far gone, but if the UFC is attempting at a comeback for the 35-year-old, this wasn’t the matchup to schedule for it.
In all likelihood, this bout will keep Belfort atop the rankings, while determining the fate of Silva’s career.
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