The UFC has released the footage of the title fight between Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin that took place at UFC 64 on October, 2006 to hype Silva’s return to competition against Englishman Michael Bisping this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 84 in London, England.

The Brazilian Silva, a mixed martial arts legend, will be looking for another win to add to his interstellar record. In fact, few men in UFC history have managed to achieve what Silva has done.

See for yourself: Silva holds the record for most successful title defenses (10), most finishes in the UFC (14), most Knockout of the Night Awards in the UFC (7 times), and longest win streak in UFC history (16 wins), among others.

The man is the Michael Jordan of the sport. In fact, many observers would argue he is the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.

What really propelled Silva’s myth though was the night he dethroned then-UFC Middleweight champion Rich Franklin. At the time, Franklin was riding an impressive eight-fight win streak and entered the title bout as a heavy betting favorite. Silva’s popularity was not quite high yet at the time and many observers thought Franklin would make quick work of him, thus the way the fight unfolded shocked the world…

Both men start engaging on the feet, and it is not long until it becomes clear that Silva’s striking acumen is light years ahead of Franklin’s. It is like Franklin’s punches were literally slipping on the Brazilian.

About a minute and thirty seconds into the very first round, what was supposed to be yet another win for Franklin turned into a nightmare for him. Silva, a long-time Muay Thai kickboxing-trained fighter, grabbed a hold of Franklin’s neck and utilized a Muay Thai clinch to unleash a barrage of crushing knees to the body.

After 90 seconds of being manhandled, Franklin got hit by two heavy knees to the face that badly broke his nose and prompted referee John McCarthy to save him from further punishment. Anderson Silva had won the UFC Middleweight championship of the world, and his legend began.

Silva is looking to add yet another feat to his ever-growing legacy on Saturday night, and it is a must-see fight for every martial arts fan!