UFC 134: Is Brazil the Real Star for Zuffa?

The last time the UFC set foot in Brazil, Vitor Belfort ripped through Wanderlei Silva in under a minute, Pedro Rizzo made a name for himself against the ever popular David "Tank" Abbott, and Frank Shamrock defended his title against John Lober. A lot has changed since then. It was Wanderlei whose career prospered after being gutted by Belfort, and Frank Shamrock's legacy has shifted from that of 'gifted cage fighter' to 'insipid commentator' (sadly for us, it's a label he shares with the rest of those in the Strikeforce booth).

The same year the UFC first set foot on Brazilian soil, Anderson Silva lost his first professional boxing match to Osmar Luiz Teixeira. Time has been kind to Anderson. And more importantly for the UFC, time has been kind to the country of Brazil. 

Before heading to Australia, the impetus for Zuffa's adventure was provoked by uniquely positive DVD sales. What does Brazil offer? Besides some great mixed martial artists, feijoada, and valuable contributions to the Victoria Secret catalogue? A lot more, actually. A large freshwater supply, a fortune of hydrocarbon, oil self-sufficiency, increased foreign direct investment (at a time when such investments have decreased for all others), and a land fit for multiple harvests has Brazil primed to be one of the world's five largest economies if trending sustains. But the UFC is looking for consumers. Can Brazil provide that?

One of the byproducts of Brazil's economic renaissance has been the growth of its middle class. Armed with Bolsa Familia, a social welfare program that has reached 12 million families in Brazil, and a 100% increase in the minimum wage, the mass consumer market is beginning to open up with the rise of its middle class. With consumer spending expanding as a result, will the UFC look to be a mainstay in Brazil?

As much as I love MMA, I can't pinpoint any moment in time where so many factors have come together at once to truly captivate me in the middle of a bout. I love MMA precisely because the atmosphere is never necessary, but such an addition would certainly be nice.

MMA has had some nice individual moments, but the victory is rarely shared. Even something like Randy Couture's victory over Tim Sylvia seems to pale in comparison to Erik Morales defeating Manny Pacquiao with all of Mexico behind him at the MGM Grand (for Mexico, this victory would be shortlived).

If there's one ingredient truly missing from MMA as a sport, it's the spectacle of nationalism. I'm not the pom-pom waving type, but nothing makes a fight more compelling than feeling the energy of a crowd inspired by a fighter representing his country against another. To me, this is where progress is truly formed for the UFC: in the development of international talent.

The UK foray was a nice experiment, but the viewing public isn't truly captured until you're selling them a champion, and they don't even have contenders (except for Michael Bisping, who yes, stands zero chance against Silva, but who could potentially fight him if he beats Jason Miller).

Brazil, however, is no experiment when it comes to competitors. Two of the UFC's champions are Brazilian, and that's to say nothing of its many contenders (Junior Dos Santos being the most promising). The gold around a fighter's waist is compelling in and of itself.

So it'll be interesting to see how the UFC utilizes Brazil moving forward. The type of presence they maintained in the UK seems like it'll be a better fit in a place like Brazil where the stars are also the champions.