Wanderlei Silva has tormented any number of opponents throughout his storied career, none more so than Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba. Their one-sided rivalry began under the Pride Fighting Championships banner with a clash in the Pride 13 “Collision Course” main event on March 25, 2001 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. It was not a pleasant experience for Sakuraba, who entered the ring on a three-fight winning streak and left it with a few less brain cells on which to operate.
The maniacally aggressive Silva swarmed from the start with punches and Sakuraba enjoyed a brief glimmer of hope, as he dropped the Brazilian to a knee with a sneaky right hand.