From Gracie to Machida

A look at the impact of Brazilian fighters on MMA

Since the dawn of Ultimate Fighting Championship, Brazilian fighters have impacted the organization and the sport itself more than any other country of fighters. From the Gracie Era to the Joe Rogan dubbed “Machida Era,” Brazil, UFC, and MMA have become synonymous. There is no country, besides possibly the United States, that has produced such tremendous talent and gave birth to so many champions of the Octagon as Brazil. Whether it be on the ground or standing up, submissions or KOs, Brazilian fighters have shown a dominance rivaled only by American wrestlers. Twenty years ago, when asked what country housed the best martial artists in the world, the average American would have replied Japan or China. With Asia’s creation of the martial art forms such as Judo, Jiu-Jistu, Karate, and Kung Fu, and Hong Kong’s seeming endless development of martial art films, it is no wonder that the continent of Asia was believed to be home to the greatest martial artists known to man. However, twenty years later, and after over a 109 UFC events, the correct answer to the question is in-fact the continent of America, more specifically the United States and Brazil.

One needs to look no further than the current rankings of MMA to see the dominance of Brazilians in the sport and their significant impact in the premier MMA organization of the world, the UFC. Currently Brazil has 3 of the 10 best heavyweights in the world, two of which, depending upon whose rankings one looks at, are top 5 in the division and UFC fighters (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Junior dos Santos). In arguably the most competitive division, light heavyweight, Brazil is home to 5 of the 10 best fighters, all of whom fight out of the UFC, and one of which is the current UFC Champion, Lyoto Machida, and another the UFC’s number one contender, Shogun Rua. In the middleweight division, Brazil has three of the top ten fighters, including the UFC Middleweight Champion, Anderson Silva. In the welterweight division, two Brazilian fighters are in the top ten, and in the lightweight division, only one. Yet in the WEC, the UFC for lighter weight classes, 4 of the 10 best featherweights are Brazilian, including the WEC Champion, Jose Aldo. But possibly the best indicator of Brazilian fighters impact in the UFC and on the MMA world is illustrated in the current rankings for the best pound for pound fighter. Depending upon whose rankings one looks at, 3 of the top 6 pound for pound fighters in the world are Brazilian and UFC fighters (Silva, Machida, and Aldo). And while the rankings show Brazilian fighters impact in numbers, the Octagon is where their impact can be seen firsthand.

In the first UFC, Brazilian Royce Gracie dismantled the competition with his family’s martial art, Gracie Ju-Jitsu, and since then, Brazilian Ju-Jitsu training has been a necessity for any mixed martial artist trying to become a world champion. But while Brazil and its fighters may be known for their expertise on the ground and in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the current crop of Brazilian stars demonstrate a superior ability standing on their feet and striking. From Muay Thai to Karate, from Jose Aldo and Junior Dos Santos to Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida, Brazilian fighters are redefining striking in MMA and the UFC. In Junior Dos Santos’ four fights in the UFC, he has four KOs via punches, and in Jose Aldo’s six fights in the WEC, he has six KO, four via punches. A country that was once know for redefining the way combat was perceived with the advent of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the UFC, is once again changing the way the sport is played and UFC is perceived. Brazil, once known as the home to some of the best grapplers in the world is slowly becoming the home of the most devastating strikers known to man, and whether it be grappling or striking, the best mixed martial artists in the UFC and the world.

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The impact Brazil has had on the UFC and the MMA world is nothing compared to what it will be in the future. With the sport continuing to grow, it is only a matter of time before Brazilian fighters start incorporating English classes in with their Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai lessons. For while fighters like Anderson Silva and Jose Aldo can draw fans with their breathtaking performances, they, more specifically Anderson Silva, struggle to sell PPVs equivalent to their skill. An Anderson Silva that can work the mic as well as he does the opposing fighter will lead to PPV buy rates currently seen only by fighters like Brock Lesnar. With great Brazilian mangers like Ed Soares, it is hard to not believe that future Brazilian fighters will not only be well adept in MMA, but also in English. The amount of money to be made in endorsement deals and PPV buys as the UFC continues to grow- the sports couldl start to be in the same league as other top sporting organizations in the United States. For the next generation of Brazilian fighters, being able to promote themselves will be as beneficial as being able to dominate their opponents in the Octagon. So as long as the UFC pays its fighters a percentage of the buy rate, fighter s that can talk the talk and walk the walk will always be on top of the money list and make a direct impact on the sport and the UFC.

With nearly half of the top ranked fighters (spanning six divisions) being Brazlian, Brazil has become an MMA powerhouse whose impact has helped make the UFC the premier fighting organization in the world. As the UFC continues to expand economically through its globalization, it continues to evolve as a sport. A sport once dominated by the top Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, is now being dominated by the top Brazilian strikers. Holding half of the championship titles in the UFC/WEC, with a top three fighter in every division except lightweight, it would be hard to argue against the UFC being as much a Brazilian organization as it is American. After all, its foundation was built by Royce Gracie, a Brazilian fighter born of a rich family tradition known as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and its continued growth and expansion comes from young, skilled Brazilian fighters looking to escape the poverty of their home country and make a name for themselves in the Octagon.

By Jeffrey Concerto
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer