Most of us never got to live through the greatness that was Muhammad Ali's career. We missed the moments that those who witnessed them will never forget. From his amazing fights to his reception in Africa for the "Rumble in the Jungle" against George Foreman, boxing fans have been fortunate to have those special moments that will forever be remember. Yesterday, Brazilian MMA fans treated Anderson Silva to a similar reaction when he made his way to the mats for the open workout at Copacabana Beach.
The crowd mobbed Silva, hoping for a chance to touch the MMA great who is hoping to defend his middleweight title for an unprecedented nine times in a row while also extending his overall winning streak in the UFC to 14 fights. The Brazilian population has finally emotionally gotten behind the greatest fighter in the world and come Saturday night, I'd expect the support to be even greater. He is the best fighter in the world and finally he has the full support of his country. I hope he realizes the significance this weekend as he's our generation's Muhammad Ali. A fighter who was too talented for his peers who deserved all the attention that could be spared.