UFC 126: 5 Reasons It Was the Most Important Event of the Year
The best stories are the ones where the endings are hard to predict, but when you finally get to them, the significance of everything that led up to it is put into perspective.
The same goes for MMA. The stories that emerged from this past weekend's UFC 126 event could not have been predicted and unfolded before our eyes. What's to ensue in the following months will make this event even more special.
The biggest storyline to emerge from the stacked event was Jon Jones being awarded a title shot against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128 after submitting previously unbeaten and TUF 10 winner Ryan Bader.
The main event featured a fight between Anderson Silva, the UFC Middleweight Champion, and his toughest stand-up test to date against former Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort. What ended it will go down in history of part of an already legendary career.
The co-main event saw fan favorites Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin looking to establish their place in the top fighters of the light heavyweight division.
This is going to be a card worth looking back on in terms of future stars of the sport, and the legends leaving their mark in the MMA time capsule.
Anderson Silva Knocks Out Vitor Belfort
1 of 5
It was one of the most spectacular kicks a MMA fan could ever see, and no matter how you look at it, is a candidate for "Knockout of the Year." It's these types of outcomes that make fans around the world want to see the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world fight again.
Vitor Belfort had never been previously knocked out like that before. He had been stopped twice by Randy Couture due to an accumulation of strikes and dropped by Chuck Liddell and Alistair Overeem. His chin has been tested before, and he passed every time.
Looking back, it's hard to remember Silva landing one significant strike before the knockout occurred. He goes into most of his fights looking to embarrass his opponent, and the "bad blood" between the two grew even more at the weigh-ins.
His plan was to throw one kick, which he credited to Steven Seagal for teaching him, and make it count. It did just that.
After dropping Belfort with a front-kick to the face, Silva seemed hesitant to throw any more strikes before landing two more punches to seal the victory.
Had it not been for those two punches, Silva could have said he won the fight without using his hands at all.
Rashad Evans May Move To Heavyweight or Middleweight
2 of 5
With Rashad Evans' decision to back out of his title fight with Shogun Rua due to a knee injury, and Jon Jones' decision to step in, it leaves his career in serious limbo if his teammate becomes the Light Heavyweight Champion.
"I'm still not going to fight Jon," said Evans during an interview the ESPN MMA Live post-event show. "I will always find something to challenge myself. I will go up to heavyweight or down to middleweight. But I will not fight Jon."
"Training with Jones in practice, he's one of the best guys I've ever trained with. The level he's gotten to so fast is scary and alarming. He's one of those guys at the gym, he'll be the first one there and the last one to leave. He's hungry, he wants it, so I'm glad if it's going to be someone to step into my place, I'm glad it's him."
It will be intriguing to see where Evans decides to go if Jones' is victorious. He could present difficult challenges in either division but probably fares better at middleweight, where wrestlers have the best chance of being crowned the champion.
Jon Jones Gets a Title Shot at UFC 128
3 of 5
In one of the most anticipated fights of the first half of the year, Jon Jones submitted Ryan Bader in the second round of their light heavyweight fight.
In what was a fight without really any title implications, the two fighters were looking to establish their place in the best of the up-and-comers in the division.
After hearing about Rashad Evans knee injury, the UFC awarded Jones a title shot against Shogun Rua at UFC 128 during his post-fight interview. He had no choice but to accept and was thrilled to do so.
A lot of people are more excited to see Jon Jones take on Shogun than Rashad Evans, and it's easy to see why.
Jones presents a lot of challenges standing and on the ground, and will not be afraid to do stuff inexperienced fighters usually choose to do.
At 23, Jones may have taken on a challenge he is not ready for, but fans appreciate his desire to fight the best and test himself.
Win or lose, Jones' performance against Shogun could result in the "Fighter of the Year."
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Third Fight Between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar May Happen
4 of 5
Some are calling the co-main event between former champions Rich Franklin and Forrest Griffin a let-down, but it was an important and must-win fight for both fighters.
Griffin hadn't fought in over a year since his split-decision victory of Tito Ortiz at UFC 106. He was awarded a well-deserved unanimous decision against Franklin.
During the ESPN MMA post-event show, Bonnar mentioned interest in a potential third fight between himself and Griffin.
Bonnar lost both fights, but it isn't about winning and losing when the two TUF 1 combatants meet in the Octagon. It's about giving the fans a replay of the most significant fight in the history of the UFC.
Other appealing fights for Griffin include rematches with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
Those might mean more in terms of significance, but the risk may not be worth the reward. Lets hope for a third fight between Griffin and Bonnar in what should be a candidate for "Fight of the Year."
Anderson Silva vs. Georges St. Pierre Just Got Bigger
5 of 5
In no way should fans be counting out Jake Shields against St. Pierre at UFC 129 in Toronto, Canada, but the super-fight between St. Pierre and Anderson Silva is bigger than ever right now.
The only thing arguably bigger in combat sports is Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao, but it's just as enticing of a fight between the two sports' biggest stars.
There are so many dimensions to the fight that it's too hard to predict. Will St. Pierre's size be a problem for him in dealing with a fighter who could potentially fight at heavyweight? Can Silva deal with a wrestler of St. Pierre's caliber? Who has the better submissions? Will St. Pierre stand with Silva?
These questions and more will get answered if St. Pierre can make it past Jake Shields, who is just as good of a challenge to Silva as St. Pierre is if he upsets the champion. Both fights would be big, but the one with St. Pierre is the one everyone wants to see.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
