UFC Brazil
| Company type | Event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mixed martial arts |
| Founded | October 16, 1998 |
| Headquarters | São Paulo , Brazil |
UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil—also referred to as UFC Ultimate Brazil or UFC 17.5'—was a mixed martial arts competition hosted by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 16, 1998, in São Paulo, Brazil. This event was available via pay-per-view in both the United States and Brazil, and it was subsequently distributed on home video formats.
History
The event titled Ultimate Brazil represented the UFC's inaugural appearance on Brazilian soil and was only the second occasion the promotion held an event outside the United States. Spearheaded by Sérgio Batarelli, a former competitor in Kickboxing and Vale Tudo as well as promoter of the International Vale Tudo Championship, this occasion marked a deliberate move to penetrate the Brazilian fight market. It was also the first UFC card since UFC 9 to eliminate the tournament structure, which was mostly discontinued following this event except for its brief return at UFC 23. The fight card included both the first-ever UFC Lightweight Championship contest and a Middleweight Title match.
This event served as the initial installment of "The Road To The Heavyweight Title," a sequence of events designed to determine a new UFC Heavyweight Champion after Randy Couture relinquished the belt.
Significantly, UFC Brazil showcased the debut of future heavyweight standout Pedro Rizzo, alongside the first UFC appearances of eventual PRIDE Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort. Belfort achieved a rapid knockout victory over Silva in just 44 seconds, handing Silva his first knockout defeat within the UFC.
Encyclopedia awards
The October 2011 publication UFC Encyclopedia honored these competitors:[1]
- Fight of the Night: Frank Shamrock vs. John Lober
- Knockout of the Night: Vitor Belfort
- Submission of the Night: Ebenezer Fontes Braga
See also
External links
- UFC Brazil results at Sherdog.com
- Quinze anos depois: os bastidores do primeiro UFC de São Paulo e do Brasil - History of UFC Brazil (Portuguese)
- ↑ Gerbasi, Thomas. UFC Encyclopedia - The Definitive Guide to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. DK, New York, 2011, p.170.