UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
Introduction
UFC 134: Silva vs. Okami. Also known as UFC Rio. August 27, 2011. HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The UFC’s return to Brazil after 13 years, its first event in Rio de Janeiro, and its first pay-per-view in Brazil. Anderson Silva defended the Middleweight Championship against Yushin Okami by TKO in round two, his first UFC victory on Brazilian soil.
Sherdog awarded the event 2011 Event of the Year. 14,000 fans attended; tickets sold out in 74 minutes. Brazilian fighters went 7-1 on the card. Forrest Griffin was stopped by Mauricio Rua in round one in the co-main event. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira knocked out Brendan Schaub in round one in an emotional return to Brazil following 18 months of hip surgeries.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: August 27, 2011
Venue: HSBC Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (first UFC in Rio; second UFC in Brazil since 1998; sold out in 74 minutes)
Attendance: ~14,000; PPV: 335,000
Main Event: Anderson Silva (c) vs. Yushin Okami — UFC MW Championship (5 rounds)
Result: Silva def. Okami — TKO (Punches) — R2, 2:04 — 9th title defence; Silva’s first UFC win in Brazil; avenges only UFC loss (2006 DQ)
Notable: Sherdog Event of Year 2011; Brazilians 7-1; Nogueira KOs Schaub (emotional return); Shogun TKOs Griffin; $100k bonuses; Joe Rogan absent
The Build-Up
Brazil was the birthplace of vale tudo, the ancestor of modern MMA. The UFC had not held an event there since UFC 17.5: Ultimate Brazil in 1998, a gap of 13 years. UFC 134 was marketed locally as the promotion’s homecoming. The main card also broadcast on RedeTV!, marking the UFC’s Brazilian broadcast television debut. Joe Rogan was committed to a comedy tour and could not attend; Kenny Florian joined Mike Goldberg on commentary for the entire card. Anderson Silva fighting in Rio de Janeiro was the central emotional event.
Main Event
Anderson Silva (c) vs. Yushin Okami — UFC MW Championship
Anderson Silva and Okami had a prior meeting: at a WEC event in 2006, Silva had been disqualified for an illegal upkick while Okami was grounded, giving Okami the only professional win over Silva in his UFC career. The rematch was five years later. Silva controlled the striking exchanges from the opening bell. He toyed with Okami in round one, landing at range and moving. In round two, Silva increased his output and landed a series of punches that stopped Okami at 2:04.
Anderson Silva extended his UFC winning streak to 14 consecutive victories. It was his ninth MW title defence. He had now avenged every loss in his professional career. The Brazilian crowd’s reaction to the finish was one of the most sustained and emotional in UFC history.
Co-Main Event
Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin — Light Heavyweight
Rua needed a rebound win after being stopped by Jon Jones at UFC 128. Forrest Griffin was the opponent. Rua walked forward and engaged with strikes. At 1:53 of round one, he landed a combination that stopped Griffin. A significant and clean statement in front of his home country.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Iuri Alcântara def. Antonio Carvalho — Sub? — R? — BW
Erick Silva def. Luis Ramos — TKO — R1, 0:40 — WW
Raphael Assunção def. Johnny Eduardo — Decision — R3 — BW
Paulo Thiago def. David Mitchell — TKO — R1 — WW
Rousimar Palhares def. Dan Miller — Submission — R? — MW
Main Card
Edson Barboza def. Ross Pearson — Decision (Unanimous) — R3 — LW; Fight of the Night ($100k each)
Stanislav Nedkov def. Luiz Cane — KO — R1 — LHW
Thiago Tavares def. Spencer Fisher — Sub? — R? — LW
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Brendan Schaub — KO — R1 — HW; KO Night ($100k to Nogueira); emotional first fight in Brazil in 40 career bouts
Mauricio Rua def. Forrest Griffin — TKO — R1, 1:53 — LHW; Co-Main; Shogun’s rebound win in Brazil
UFC MW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Anderson Silva def. Yushin Okami — TKO (Punches) — R2, 2:04 — 9th title defence; Silva’s first UFC win in Brazil; 14-fight UFC winning streak
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Edson Barboza vs. Ross Pearson — $100,000 to each fighter.
KO of the Night: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Brendan Schaub — $100,000 to Nogueira.
Event Award: Sherdog 2011 Event of the Year.
Records & Milestones
Anderson Silva — 14 consecutive UFC victories; 9th MW title defence; first UFC win in Brazil; avenges only prior professional UFC loss.
UFC’s return to Brazil — first UFC in Brazil since UFC 17.5: Ultimate Brazil in 1998; first UFC in Rio de Janeiro; sold out in 74 minutes.
Tickets sold out in 74 minutes — fastest sellout in Brazilian MMA history at the time.
Brazilian fighters 7-1 on the card — one of the most home-dominant results in UFC event history.
Joe Rogan absent — Kenny Florian substituted; one of very few UFC PPV events without Rogan on commentary.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 134 was the moment the UFC’s Brazilian chapter fully opened. The atmosphere at HSBC Arena was unlike any prior UFC event. Brazilian fans are loud in ways that other markets are not; the energy during Anderson Silva's introduction and post-fight celebration was documented as the loudest UFC crowd reaction in memory at the time. The card delivered 7-1 for Brazilian fighters. It confirmed that Brazil was not just an available market but the sport’s most passionate and commercially viable international territory.
Nogueira’s KO of Schaub was a secondary story that matched the main event for emotion. Nogueira had undergone hip surgeries and had been away from competition for 18 months. He had never fought in Brazil in 40 career bouts before this night. The KO landed cleanly and his celebration in front of the Brazilian crowd was one of the sport’s most memorable post-fight moments.
FAQ
Was UFC 134 the first UFC event in Brazil?
No. UFC 17.5: Ultimate Brazil took place in 1998. UFC 134 was the UFC’s return to Brazil after a 13-year absence and the first UFC PPV in Rio de Janeiro.
Why was UFC 134 the first UFC in Rio specifically?
The 1998 event, UFC 17.5, was held in Sao Paulo. UFC 134 was the first UFC event held in Rio de Janeiro.
What was the significance of Anderson Silva's win at UFC 134?
It was Silva’s first UFC victory on Brazilian soil, his ninth MW title defence, and his 14th consecutive UFC win. It also avenged his only professional UFC loss, a 2006 disqualification defeat to Okami at a WEC event.
Why was Joe Rogan not at UFC 134?
Joe Rogan was committed to a prior comedy tour engagement. Kenny Florian replaced him alongside Mike Goldberg for the entire UFC 134 broadcast.
Why was Nogueira's win over Schaub at UFC 134 emotional?
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira had undergone hip surgeries and spent 18 months away from competition. UFC 134 was the first time in his 40-fight career that he had competed in Brazil. He knocked out Schaub in round one and his celebration in front of the home crowd was widely cited as one of the most emotional post-fight moments of 2011.
References
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