UFC 134 Fight Card, Yushin Okami: Japan Ready for the Thunder

UFC 134 Rio Silva vs. Okami goes down tonight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it could be a night that Japanese fight fans will remember forever.

Japan and Brazil are two equal nations in terms of pioneering, promoting and advancing mixed martial arts to the rest of the world. Brazil was integral in forming Vale Tudo competitions and Japan continued the tradition with Pancrase events through the 1980s and 1990s.

Tonight's main event will pit the greatest mixed martial arts fighter of all time, Brazilian Anderson Silva, against Yushin "Thunder" Okami, arguably the greatest Japanese fighter of all time.

The greatest Japanese fighters, men such as Takanori Gomi, Kazushi Sakuraba and Shinya Aoki, are excellent fighters in their own right, but they are famous for fighting and succeeding mainly in Asia and against Asian fighters. Any time a top-level Japanese fighter came over to North America to compete, a heavy slice of humble pie was often served.

Okami has been different in this regard.

He is 10-2 in the UFC and has beaten some of the best on this side of the ocean, including Nate Marquardt and Mark Munoz. He has also fought Jake Shields and Rich Franklin to tough decision losses during his time in the UFC.

Mixed martial arts in Japan is on life support right now, with small, rival and corrupt organizations seemingly stalling the development of the once flourishing market.

I'm saying that it is indeed a long shot, but if Okami can frustrate Silva in tight quarters, as Chael Sonnen did in his fight against Silva last year, then Okami has a chance to shock the world and send Japan into a thunderous mixed martial arts revival and celebration.

Okami could send the MMA world on its head this evening—Japan is just waiting for the thunder.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA (also a correspondent for MMACanada.net).

Catch him on Twitter @wakafightermma.