For an event that showcased the Brazilians in front of their countrymen, UFC 134 on Saturday was sure to be a dramatic affair.
Highlighted by the main event of Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami, Saturday’s fight card was one to behold, complete with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s comeback from multiple surgeries.
Here are the top three inspiring performances of UFC 134, interestingly enough all by the Brazilians.
1. Anderson Silva
How can you not put Silva here? With his performance against Okami on Saturday, a second-round TKO, he not only was the best fighter in the Octagon at UFC 134, he proved he’s the greatest fighter in UFC history. Silva calmly controlled the fight against the challenger on Saturday, then exacted his dominance in the second round. He defended his middleweight a UFC-record ninth straight time and won a UFC -record 14th straight fight. When Silva is this good, you wonder if his brilliance will ever be challenged again.
2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
I admit. I was wrong about Nogueira. Coming off an 18-month layoff, and surgeries to his hip and both knees, Nogueira showed the form that has made him a legend in the UFC. Against a younger Brendan Schaub, he forgot all about his last two defeats and promptly set Schaub down in the first round. It was a great thing to see, in front of his adoring countrymen, and it proved Nogueira still has something left to give after a troublesome year and a half.
3. Mauricio Rua
Rua came into his fight against Forrest Griffin with the Rio de Janeiro crowd behind him, and left the Octagon with the crowd roaring. Rua took advantage of Griffin’s aggressiveness in the fight early, landing a vicious right as Griffin moved in, then proceeded to pummel him on the mat before the ref called the fight at 1:53 in the first round. Rua, known as the more aggressive fighter coming into the matchup, was the fighter with more poise on Saturday, and that was the difference in the outcome.
If you watched just one of these fights, you were happy. If you watched all three, you were in bliss.
UFC 134 certainly did not disappoint.
