When Anderson Silva hit the canvas at UFC 162 after a crushing left-handed blow from Chris Weidman, the loss did more than hand the challenger his middleweight championship—it shifted the paradigm of the entire sport.
Silva, at age 38 and without a blemish on his UFC resume, had built up an air of invincibility. His reign lasted longer than any other fighter in history. Last month’s upset at UFC 162 put Weidman on the map as one of the new faces of the sport, sent Silva desperately pressing the rematch button as quickly as possible, and left plenty of MMA fans wondering what the implications would be for their sport.
Silva, just like Floyd Mayweather is for boxing, is one of the last bankable draws on name value alone. Even the most casual fans have fallen in love with seeing “The Spider” fight.
With the draws for UFC pay-per-views down across the board for years running, what happens when the mightiest fighter seems vulnerable? No longer can everyone agree on who is the best in the world. In other words, what happens to the minions if there is no king to lord over them?
We might find out on Saturday night.
The world’s best mixed martial artists will descend upon Rio de Janeiro for the first PPV event of the post-Silva era. The card hasn’t reached the level of hype as Silva vs. Weidman I, and it may not even do the numbers of next month’s UFC 164, which features lightweight champion Benson Henderson taking on Anthony Pettis as well as an appearance from Frank Mir.
That said, Saturday’s card may just have the answer to whom will take over the throne vacated by Silva. The night’s main event features Jose Aldo defending his UFC featherweight championship against Chan Sung Jung, better known to the outside world as “The Korean Zombie.”
The card reads like something out of a graphic novel or knockoff Rocky film. You may not see a more intriguing card with two fighters whom casual fans don’t know than one featuring someone dubbed The Korean Zombie. And to make things even more entertaining, Aldo’s nickname is “Scarface.”
If the numbers spike for this event, Dana White should send a big “thank you” to horror movie aficionados and mobsters everywhere. (Or maybe just fight fans. Whatever.)
But The Korean Zombie isn’t the man to watch on Saturday night. Standing across from him will be the 26-year-old Brazilian champ who has as good a chance as anyone to claim pound-for-pound top billing.
If one fighter not named Jon “Bones” Jones has been as dominant as Silva over these past two years, it’s Aldo. Since being promoted to UFC’s featherweight champion in September 2010, he has eviscerated his opponents. A tactical genius with a defensive move for every style, he has defeated a variety of fighters in a variety of ways.
He has defended the featherweight belt four times, earning three unanimous-decision wins and two Fight of the Night awards. He’ll be looking to become just the sixth fighter in history to defend a UFC belt five straight times, per ESPN Stats & Info:
While nothing is for certain, the odds seem stacked in Aldo’s favor. Bovada lists him as a minus-850 favorite to retain his championship.
For reference, the book has odds through the rest of the year for UFC events. The only bigger favorite at minus-1000 is undefeated women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, who will co-headline Silva vs. Weidman II against Miesha Tate.
In case you were wondering, Jones is a minus-650 favorite for his bout against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 on September 21.
Aldo and Rousey. Could we be looking at the next two-headed star of MMA in the United States? We may find out Saturday night.
Aldo is a near-perfect specimen to step into that spotlight. At age 26, he’s entering his physical prime and fights a style that lends itself to longevity. He’s solid at punching from the clinch position, and his Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu training have honed some of the best leg kicks in the sport. He could use a bit of work on submissions and a higher conversion rate on takedowns, but he’s capable in both areas.
But his defensive skills make him interesting. Much like Mayweather in boxing and Silva in MMA, Aldo has been able to avoid absorbing hard shots to the head and rarely finds himself in trouble. He fights a smart, tactical style that lends itself to going the distance.
That’s not to say he’s boring—far from it. The UFC doesn’t give out Fight of the Night awards for the professional equivalent of awful YouTube clips. And Aldo isn’t lacking in personality, either. Franklin McNeil of ESPN.com noted the champion’s confidence heading into his title defense.
“I don’t care much about what he’s doing, I only care about myself,” Aldo said. “I’m in my house; I’m home; I can’t be beaten here.”
He also told Fox Sports’ Mike Chiappetta that his goal isn’t just to defend his championship—he wants to win two. This level of openness is something new for Aldo, who usually eschews as much of the pre-fight hype as possible. He’s been forever the silent champion, with some fans quick to ascribe personality traits to a man they’ve barely heard talk.
Perhaps the increased public presence is a sign that he knows something special is coming his way. Silva left MMA’s pound-for-pound crown for the taking at the MGM Grand last month.
Can Aldo bring it back to his native Brazil? We’ll find out on Saturday.
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