![]() Chad Mendes II (UFC 179)Ī little over two-and-a-half years after their initially championship encounter, Aldo and Mendes ran it back. Maia eventually finished the choke and secured the tap, but it’s the moment before that really stood out the most. With Maia on Story’s back up against the fence, the Brazilian went hunting for a rear-naked choke, first clamping down across the American’s chin and beginning to squeeze, which is when the ribbons of blood started shooting out of Story’s nose. MORE BRAZIL: Deiveson Figueiredo vs Brandon Moreno Rivalry Recap But he made the mistake of getting tangled up with Maia on the canvas, and what followed was a moment that lands differently for everyone, depending on how squeamish you are. ![]() Story had established himself as a Top 15 talent and was looking to build a little streak after getting back into the win column in his previous outing. Maia was just one fight into his move to welterweight and coming off a victory over Dong Hyun Kim. If anyone ever wonders “yeah, but how tight could somebody possibly squeeze in that position?” or something similar when watching a fighter trying to lock in a choke or crank on an opponent’s neck, show them this clip. He’d bolted into the audience before, but this was different - this was a mob scene composed of elated Brazilians hoisting their latest hero aloft, and it was magical. But that wasn’t the iconic piece.Īs soon as he landed the blow, Aldo scurried out of the cage and into the crowd, desperate to celebrate his victory with the people in the crowd, the people that had supported him throughout his journey, and made a point of attending his first UFC pay-per-view main event opportunity. In the waning moments of the opening stanza, Aldo finally broke Mendes’ grip around his waist, quickly spinning and blasting the challenger with a knee that landed flush and instantly ended the championship clash with just a single second remaining on the clock. They finally met in Rio and Aldo showed why he sat upon the city’s throne. ![]() Mendes was always expected to be Aldo’s first great rival - they ran parallel during their WEC days, with Aldo getting to the title ahead of the Team Alpha Male product, and remained the top two fighters in the division once it crossed over to the UFC. Just as Silva closed out the UFC’s return to Brazil in impressive fashion, Aldo used his first opportunity to compete on home soil as UFC featherweight champion to deliver one of the most iconic moments of his legendary career. It was the kind of finishing sequence Hollywood would script for its David versus Goliath tale set in the world of MMA, only it was real, and it was incredible, and remains that way all these years later. Etim stepped forward, Barboza spun, and his foot slammed into the side of the Liverpool man’s head, ending the fight in a flash. Etim was the slightly bigger, more imposing figure, while Barboza was the young, ascending talent in need of a signature moment… and boy did he get it.Īfter nearly three minutes of continued give and take, Barboza attacked with what would become one of his signature combinations - a jab to the body, right hand up top, and a chopping kick to the quad - before taking a step back towards the center of the Octagon. That wasn’t actually the case, of course, but it plays that way if you really think about it.įor the first two rounds, Barboza and Etim ran fairly level, neither man garnering a real advantage in their back-and-forth kickboxing match. The way this fight ends feels like it was written for a Hollywood MMA movie, with Barboza cast as the underdog hero and Etim the villain. He cruised and looked spectacular doing so, and the UFC’s return to Brazil ended on an incredible high. Silva dominated, propelled by the raucous crowd, flashing the magical skills that made him one of the greatest competitors ever. But “The Spider” was in the midst of his unmatched run of success and the Japanese challenger didn’t stand a chance. Okami had worked his way to the championship opportunity by amassing a 10-2 record inside the Octagon, including back-to-back wins over Mark Munoz and Nate Marquardt prior to facing Silva. RELATED: Historic First UFC Event Of The Year Moments The night was capped by what would turn out to be Silva’s penultimate successful middleweight title defense. UFC 134 was the first event in Brazil since 1998 and came at an incredibly cool moment when some of the country’s biggest stars and greatest legends were able to compete at home on the biggest stage in the sport, while a handful of young talents got to shine alongside their idols. ![]() There is no way to really capture what a big deal this event was at the time.
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