UFC 126: Does Anderson Silva Need To Beat Vitor Belfort to Secure Legacy?

Anderson Silva is one of the most commanding athletes MMA has ever seen, but with a fairly unconvincing victory in his last fight against Chael Sonnen, fans predicted the end of his reign of domination.

But could a loss against Vitor Belfort at UFC 126 not only mark Silva's final fight, but taint his legacy?

On the surface of things, Silva's legacy is written in stone: The Jiu-Jitsu black belt is the current UFC Middleweight Champion, holds the record for longest winning streak in UFC history (the streak is still active) and is currently the promotion's longest running champion.

Going out losing, though, is all too reminiscent of too many athletes who were formerly great but didn't know when to quit and may affect his legacy.

Belfort, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and currently ranked the sixth-best middleweight in the world, has touted this match as the "Fight of the Century."

Though this may be a fairly big statement, considering both men are in their mid-30s and are reaching the twilights of their respective careers, for many people this is a long anticipated dream match. 

To live up to his promise, Belfort will need to bring his best aggressive and forward moving game and be responded to by Silva blocking him with his quickest and hardest counter-strikes. The two quick Brazilians will have to channel their earlier careers, but passion shouldn't be a problem in this matchup.

One of the biggest points going into this fight, and why this may affect Silva's legacy, is that both men really have something to fight for and something to prove against one another.

Belfort has always been a talented fighter and, for any contender, Silva represents a significant notch in the belt. To win against Silva, he will not only win his title, but Belfort has the opportunity to break Silva's streak, which is among the most meaningful in all of MMA history.

More importantly, though, for Silva, a win over Belfort is a matter of pride and would silence the critics of the Sonnen fight.

To be more in depth, a convincing win over Belfort is a matter of pride. It is not enough for Silva to scrape out of the fight the marginal victor; he must show he still has what it takes to be a main event fighter.    

While the two fighters have several aspects in common, both being left-handed and both being Brazilian, they both thrive in different environments. Silva is most effective when keeping his distance and employing strong kicks, while Belfort is much more comfortable striking with his fists, up close.

Silva has said he wants to continue fighting and, therefore, it is an assumption that he would leave UFC if he lost. But at his advanced age, if he lost the belt, it is unlikely he would be involved in more than a couple more fights, most likely grudge matches rather than title fights.

As the holder of multiple UFC records and being injured during his worst showing in the Sonnen fight, which he still managed to win, Silva has already cemented his brilliant legacy in not only UFC history, but in all of MMA.

A loss at UFC 126 against Belfort would certainly taint his legacy and a win would obviously have him stay as one of the most impressive fighters of all time.

Silva's legacy is secure win or lose, though a loss would be a disappointing way end to a brilliant career.