By: Alex Mattis
Anderson Silva will step into the octagon this Saturday night to make the most anticipated defense of his four-year middleweight title reign. His opponent, a legend of the sport, Vitor Belfort is the man many expect to dethrone Silva. With his mix of black-belt level Brazilian jiu-jitsu and lethal striking, the man known as ‘The Phenom’ opposes the biggest threat of Silva’s career… at least on paper.
Title fights are not fought on paper.
Anderson Silva is unlike any other fighter the sport of MMA has seen in its brief past. The way he moves and the attacks he is able to pull off look more choreographed than a Katy Perry performance… but there is nothing but reality to this man’s unreal ability. The offensive exhibition he put on against Forrest Griffin was one of the most beautifully brutal in modern combat sports. Any human that signs to fight ‘The Spider’ will always be in slightly over their head. The initial premonition of Vitor Belfort was that any opponent of his would be in way over their head. This omen came nearly a decade-and-a-half ago when Belfort was just 19. The up-and-down tale of Belfort’s career is one that could be translated into an Academy Award winning movie.
Seven years ago, Belfort won the UFC light heavyweight title. This was a singular joy at a horrendous time in his life. Shortly before his fight with then champion Randy Couture, Vitor suffered the loss of his sister. Not in death but perhaps worse, she disappeared. Her whereabouts were never discovered.This seemed to be the catalyst that spun Vitor’s career downward. As fans and media, we didn’t necessarily know the man but we knew the fighter and something was clearly wrong. Speculation of his mental state and heart were questioned repeatedly during this time, and often still are.
After a 2-5 dwindling period in 2004-06, people’s prayers for the “old Vitor” were answered. Belfort has gone 5-0 in his last five; finishing all but one. In his most recent bout, he knocked out former UFC middleweight champion, Rich Franklin, in the first round. Vitor is finally at a peaceful place in his life. Be it mind, body, soul, career, whatever – Vitor is at peace. We can see it in demeanor, in his fighting. This is the right time for him to get this opportunity as it may be the last of his career. It seems now, any of the psychological criticisms or demands for the “old Vitor” are ill-founded. What can and should be questioned about Vitor leading into this fight is not only his 16-month layoff, but his camp switching less than a month outside of the fight. Vitor ditched Shawn Tompkins and headed over to Xtreme Couture, where he probably should have been from the start.
Any and all questions will be pushed aside when the referee gives the green light this Saturday night. Expect the champ to come out with his hands much higher than we’re used to, and the challenger to assume the Machida-esque stance and attack that he implemented against Franklin. Wild exchanges and excitement is sure to follow. The legend of Vitor Belfort, the vulnerability shown in the champion’s last fights, the stylistic match-up of the two, the admiration of their home country; so much is at the foundation of this fight.
In the end, it still seems incredibly hard to pick against the champion. Each time Anderson Silva has been given “his toughest test” he finds a way to win, and win convincingly. That being said, if Anderson takes Vitor lightly or gets the slightest bit lackadaisical for an instant he could lose.
His time away and camp switch coupled with the pressures of a world title fight AND fighting the man whom most consider the best in the world… It seems like a recipe of defeat for the challenger. On his night, however, Vitor Belfort can beat any man on the face of this earth. Will February 5th, 2011 be his night?
