An all-time UFC highlight reel feels incomplete without Anderson Silva kicking Vitor Belfort in the face on Feb. 5, 2011.
That clash was much more than just a magnificent finish, however. “The Spider” and “The Phenom” are two of the greatest MMA fighters ever, and their meeting inside the octagon at UFC 126 forever changed the landscape of the sport.
ORIGINS
Fighting a fellow Brazilian wasn’t a new experience for Silva as the UFC champion. But truth be told, it always produced a little controversy and weirdness. Two years prior, Silva shared the eight-sided cage with Nova Uniao product and massive underdog Thales Leites.