UFC mixed martial arts event in 1998
UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil (also known as UFC Ultimate Brazil or UFC 17.5) was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in São Paulo, Brazil on October 16, 1998. The event was seen on pay-per-view in the United States and Brazil, and was later released on home video.
History
Ultimate Brazil was the first appearance of the UFC in Brazil, and the second UFC event to take place outside the US. The event was arranged through the initiative of Sérgio Batarelli, former Kickboxing and Vale Tudo fighter, promoter of the International Vale Tudo Championship, WVC (World Vale Tudo Championship) and manager of multiple Brazilian MMA fighters.[1] Ultimate Brazil marked the first UFC event (other than UFC 9) to not utilize the tournament format which, aside from UFC 23, was abandoned completely in following events. The event featured the first ever UFC Lightweight Championship fight, as well as a Middleweight Championship fight.
Ultimate Brazil was part one of what the UFC called "The Road To The Heavyweight Title" (not to be confused with the event of the same name), a tournament of sorts, spanning four events, to crown the new UFC Heavyweight Champion following Randy Couture's relinquishing of the belt.
UFC Brazil marked the first appearance of Pedro Rizzo, who would go on to become a top UFC heavyweight contender. The event also featured the first UFC appearance of future PRIDE Middleweight Champion Wanderlei Silva in a fight against former UFC 12 heavyweight tournament champion and future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort. Belfort became the first person to knock Silva out, with an impressive 44 second knockout after a barrage of punches.
