Vitor Belfort

From CageWiki

1 Profile
2 MMA Debut and Early UFC Career
3 PRIDE
4 Return to UFC
5 Return to PRIDE
6 Steroid Suspension and Cage Rage
7 Affliction
8 Mixed martial arts record
9 Gallery
10 External Links

Profile

Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (born April 1, 1977 in Rio de Janeiro) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and a Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt under Carlson Gracie.

He stands 6 ft. (183 cm) tall and currently fights in the middleweight division.

He is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and currently fights as a middleweight for Affliction.

MMA Debut and Early UFC Career

Vitor Belfort made his professional mixed martial arts debut against Jon Hess at a SuperBrawl event on October 11, 1996. His career got off to a quick and devastating start as he demolished Hess via 12 second KO.

The Hess fight was enough to catapult Belfort into the "big show" as he was slated for UFC 12's one night four man heavyweight tournament.

Coming into the tournament at just over 200 lbs. Belfort disposed of hefty Lion's Den fighter, Tra Telligman in the opening round via TKO (cuts) at 1:17 of round 1. In the final, he shocked many with a :43 TKO over 300+ lbs. Scott Ferrozo.

Belfort returned at UFC 13 against Tank Abbott. Abbott was the quintessential brawler, who also weighed in at over 300 lbs.. Belfort's lightning fast hand speed and agility made quick work of Abbott. Taking out the "Pit Fighter" via TKO just 52 seconds into the fight.

His explosion onto the UFC stage earned Belfort the nickname, "The Phenom" and was considered by many to be unbeatable. At UFC 15, Belfort was matched up against UFC 14 heavyweight tournament champion, Randy Couture in a fight that was said to determine the No.1 contender for Maurice Smith's heavyweight championship. Couture was given next to no chance in the bout, due to his age and the awesome performances turned in by Belfort to date. However Couture pulled off the impossible as he used his Greco Roman clinch and dirty boxing to wear down Belfort en route to a TKO victoy, 8:16 into round 1.

Two months later, Belfort bounced back from the loss at UFC Japan: Ultimate Japan 1 when he submitted Joe Charles via armbar submission in round 1. Taking a little break after the Charles victory, Belfort returned to the UFC stage at UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil when he turned in a performance that restored the mystique that had rubbed off after the Couture fight. In 44 seconds, Belfort literally ran through Wanderlei Silva with a fast and furious barrage of punches.

PRIDE

Belfort left the UFC for the Japanese based, PRIDE Fighting Championships after the demolition of Silva, and made his PRIDE debut at PRIDE 5 on April 29, 1999.

He faced off against Japanese superstar, Kazushi Sakuraba and in what was a big upset, Sakuraba frustrated Belfort with his awkward stand up, eventually leading Belfort to resort to the butt scoot position. Sakuraba pummeled Belfort's legs from the position en route to an astonishing unaimous decision victory for the Japanese fighter.

At PRIDE 9, Belfort was matched up against Gilbert Yvel in what was aimed to be an exciting stand-up battle. Belfort instead resorted to takedowns and ground control instead of his devastating boxing and eventually racked up an uninspiring unanimous decision victory.

After taking out Japanese punching bag, Daijiro Matsui at PRIDE 10, he scored a rear naked choke victory over future TUF 1 contestant Bobby Southworth at PRIDE 13.

At PRIDE 14, Belfort faced heavyweight, Heath Herring. He was outweighed substantially by Herring but was able to hang in with Herring, scoring some takedowns. When the fight went to the scorecards, the size disadvantage was taken into account and Belfort was given the semi controversial unanimous decision victory.

Return to UFC

Sporting a four fight win streak and the "Phenom" reputation he had earned from his early UFC days, Belfort was welcomed back to the UFC and headlined the awkwardly titled, UFC 37.5 against Chuck Liddell. The bout was said to be for the No.1 contender spot for the light heavyweight title held by Tito Ortiz.

In a close bout, Belfort scored a takedown on Liddell in the first round but was outstruck by Liddell for the rest of the fight and was even dropped in the third round. The fight was ruled a unanimous decision victory for Liddell.

In June of 2003, Belfort faced off against Marvin Eastman at UFC 43. In a performance that once again had fans claiming that "the old Vitor was back", "The Phenom" disposed of Eastman in just over a minute with brutal knees and punches that left Eastman with what looked like an axe would on his eyebrow.

The win earned Belfort a shot and a rematch with the newly instated UFC light heavyweight champion, Randy Couture. In a thoroughly disappointing bout at UFC 46, Belfort grazed Couture's eyelid with his glove when attempting a punch. The partial blow sliced open Couture's eyelid and some of his eyeball leading the bout to be stopped at 49 seconds of the first round. Nevertheless, the match was awarded a TKO victory to Belfort and earned him the UFC light heavyweight championship.

A rematch was quickly set up for UFC 49 and all questions were answered about who was the superior fighter when Couture demolished Belfort with his Greco Roman clinch, takedowns and ground and pound. A bloody Belfort succumbed on his stool at the end of the third round, awarding Couture his light heavyweight championship.

At UFC 51, Belfort faced off against former UFC light heavyweight champion, Tito Ortiz. The two were originally meant to face off at UFC 33, when Ortiz held the championship but a Belfort injury led him to pull out of the bout. In a razor tight affair, Ortiz prevailed via split decision after three rounds.

Return to PRIDE

After suffering consecutive losses for the first time in his career, Belfort was dubbed as the UFC participant in the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight (205 lbs.) Grand Prix.

Belfort's losing streak was pushed to three as his opponent in the round of 16, Alistair Overeem, defeated Belfort via guillotine choke at 9:36 of round 1. It was Belfort's first submission loss of his career.

A disappointed Belfort, retreated from the bright lights in his next bout as he halted his losing streak with a KO over Antony Rea at a Cage Rage event in December of 2005.

Six months later, Belfort was granted a shot at redemption against Alistair Overeem at a Strikeforce event, title "Revenge". Redemption was not forthcoming however, as a flat Belfort was outpoined by Overeem over three rounds.

Despite the Overeem loss, Belfort returned to PRIDE and faced off against Japanese fighter, Kazuo Takahashi. Another glimpse of "Old Vitor" was shown when he dispatched of Takahashi with a KO, 36 seconds into the fight.

At PRIDE 32, Belfort faced PRIDE's welterweight champion (183 lbs.), Dan Henderson, in a middleweight clash (205 lbs.). Henderson racked up Belfort's 8th loss in his career when he took the unanimous decision victory after three rounds.

Steroid Suspension and Cage Rage

After the Henderson fight, Belfort tested positive to illegal substance, 4-hydroxytestosterone. Belfort offered that he purchased an over the counter substance that contained the substance or that he received rehabilitative injections from his endocrinologist to aid in the recovery from a knee operation sustained in the summer of 2006.

Although, his endocrinologist made a statement that he did in fact give Belfort those injections, the Nevada State Athletic Commission ruled that he was still in breach and was fined $10,000 and was suspended for 9 months.

Belfort breached his suspension by fighting overseas for the British based, Cage Rage promotion just six months after the suspension was enforced. He defeated Ivan Serati via TKO 3:47 into round 1.

He fought once more for Cage Rage, earning their light heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over James Zikic in September of 2007.

Affliction

Belfort returned to the US to fight on Affliction Entertainment's inaugural event, Affliction: Banned. Although he fought while suspended, Belfort faced no resistance from the NSAC in making his return.

In his first fight in the middleweight division (185 lbs.), Belfort faced off against UFC veteran, Terry Martin. For the fight, Belfort trained partly at the Chute Boxe camp before finishing out his camp at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Belfort impressed with a vicious 2nd round KO in which he followed up a flying knee with a two punch combo that knocked Martin out cold.

After having to pull out of a fight with another UFC veteran in Matt Lindland for Affliction's 2nd event, Affliction: Day of Reckoning in October of 2008 due to injury the match was rescheduled until January 2009 along with the whole event. In a quick and devastating performance, Belfort knocked Lindland out just 37 seconds into the fight.