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Tag: vitor belfort

  • Vitor Belfort: Skill Means Nothing Anymore – Social Media is Destroying Fighter Drive

    Vitor Belfort: Skill Means Nothing Anymore – Social Media is Destroying Fighter Drive

    UFC legend Vitor Belfort has given his thoughts on social media, the numbers that people pull in, and how that can impact sponsorship deals.

    Throughout the course of his time in combat sports, Vitor Belfort has been known as an absolute animal. Sometimes that’s been a good thing, and sometimes that’s been a bad thing – but he was, at one point, certainly one of the biggest stars in the sport of mixed martial arts.

    These days, he’s enjoying his time as a legendary figure of MMA, with Vitor Belfort being a name that is constantly recognized for his incredible work inside the cage. With that being said, in the modern age, social media seems to take priority above a lot of other things when it comes to popularity.

    In a recent interview, Vitor Belfort explained why he isn’t a massive fan of that.

    Vitor Belfort isn’t a fan of social media

    “When you go to Nike, when you go to Under Armour and then you offer a fighter and they said how many likes he has, me and it is disgusting.”

    “How many followers he has, how many how many likes. I don’t care how many likes he has.”

    “I think you can never sign a sponsor or deal because of likes.”

    Vitor certainly has an interesting point here, and it’s one of the reasons we used Jake Paul – a social media star who made his way into boxing – as the featured image.

    What do you make of this logic? Let us know, fight fans.

  • Vitor Belfort Named As Latest Member Of UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025

    Vitor Belfort Named As Latest Member Of UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025

    One of the greatest and longest-tenured fighters in the history of MMA, let alone the UFC, will finally get his rightful spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.

    The UFC announced that former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort is the latest name to join the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

    Belfort will be a part of the honor ceremonies on June 26, two days prior to UFC 317 and during the UFC’s International Fight Week.

    Vitor Belfort Named To UFC Hall Of Fame 2025 Class

    Belfort was a key figure in the UFC’s earliest days, debuting as a 1-0 fighter at UFC 12 and winning the heavyweight tournament that evening. Belfort would fight four more times in the UFC before jumping to PRIDE. From 2002-2009, Belfort bounced around and competed for a number of promotions including the UFC, PRIDE and Strikeforce.

    Belfort became UFC light heavyweight champion with a win over Randy Couture at UFC 46. He’d drop the title back to Couture in a rematch at UFC 49.

    In 2007, Belfort would rebound in Cage Rage by winning its light heavyweight championship.

    Belfort rejoined the UFC at UFC 103 in September 2009, competing until his retirement fight against Lyoto Macida at UFC 224 in 2018. During this stint, Belfort would challenge Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman for the UFC middleweight championship and Jon Jones for the light heavyweight championship, coming up short all three times.

    Belfort joins a UFC Hall of Fame class that also consists of Amanda Nunes, Robbie Lawler, Craig Piligian, the UFC 236 clash between Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya and the 2025 Forrest Griffin Community Award winner, Charles Oliveira.

  • Vitor Belfort: Jake Paul, Mike Tyson Didn’t Want To Risk Career Fighting Me

    Vitor Belfort: Jake Paul, Mike Tyson Didn’t Want To Risk Career Fighting Me

    November 15 sees Mike Tyson return to the ring to face Jake Paul in what will undoubtedly be one of the most talked about fights of the year.

    Given the stature that both men bring to the table, getting the opportunity to share the ring with either of them is a huge opportunity for other fighters.

    One man that wants a piece of that action is MMA legend Vitor Belfort.

    After retiring from competing in the UFC back in 2018, Belfort has made the move over to boxing where he has had several bouts since. But despite being 47 years old, he believes that big name opponents still aren’t willing to fight him.

    Vitor Belfort Says That He Wants Either Paul Or Tyson But It Probably Won’t Happen

    The Brazilian legend has won both of his boxing contests since hanging up the MMA gloves, beating Evander Holyfield in an exhibition and fellow former UFC fighter Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

    In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, he claimed that though he would be open to the idea of stepping in against Paul or Tyson, it’s not likely to happen.

    It makes sense on his end but Belfort doesn’t believe that either man is willing to risk fighting him because of their own legacies.

    “I would love to do it but both guys didn’t want to fight me for sure but I would love to fight the winner. I just wish they can have a great fight but they don’t have the courage to bring that fight [to me]. I think that would be a great fight to put together but I think none of them wanted to risk their – how they can call – career or their legacy.

    “I’m in a stage of my life where for me to step up and fight someone, has to make sense for me, for the fans. I think the fans would love to see that but at the end of the day, Jake Paul fights who he wants to fight. He’s making the decision and I mean we’ll see what will be but I mean I can promise you, I think that fight is not going to happen.”

    Read also: Chael Sonnen: Khalil Rountree Won’t ‘Wilt’ To ‘Mike Tyson-esque Fear Factor’ Alex Pereira Has

  • Archives: Roy Jones Responds To Vitor Belfort’s Boxing Challenge (2019)

    Vitor Belfort would go on to defeat a boxing legend two years after the following article was published. Indeed, Belfort beat 58-year-old Evander Holyfield via R1 TKO last September in an exhibition bout. But in 2019, Belfort wanted to box another former boxing champion, Roy Jones Jr.

    You can see how Roy Jones Jr. responded to this challenge in the following article published three years ago today.

    The following article is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.

    On This Day Three Years Ago…

    [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2019, 12:19 PM]

    Vitor Belfort is now a member of the ONE Championship roster. “The Phenom” joins the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, and “Super” Sage Northcutt as former UFC stars who recently made the move. The 41-year-old spoke to media recently after the announcement of his signing with ONE.

    Belfort revealed that one fight he’d really like to make happen is a boxing fight with legend Roy Jones Jr.:

    “One fight that I’d really like, I told Chatri [Sityodtong] I’d really like to put on this fight, is me vs. Roy Jones Jr. So Roy, wherever you are, I want to come challenge you for a boxing match — but with this condition. I’m going to be able to dirty box with you.

    “I won’t be able to kick you, but I will be able to dirty box with you. I’m going to be in your face the whole time so it’s going to be a different boxing match. So that would be a very fun thing to do.”

    Speaking to TMZ Sports recently, Jones got the chance to respond to Belfort’s challenge. Jones said he’s down to step into the squared circle with the mixed martial arts (MMA) legend (via Boxing Scene):

    “This is what I do for a living. Y’all must’ve forgot. That’s who I am. I love a battle. I love a challenge. So, if that’s what you want, that’s what you get. Ain’t like you gotta ask me twice,” Jones said.

    Jones then said he’d need at least six weeks of a training camp to “whoop” Belfort, but he’d need eight so he can showboat:

    “Well, I would like eight weeks, ’cause I like to get right. I need two extra weeks just to make sure I can showboat. But, six weeks, I can whip you,” Jones said.

    “I got nothing but the utmost respect for you. You were a helluva MMA fighter. You one of the best of all time. But, when it comes to boxing, this is what I do. I’m the ruler. I’m the king of this thing.

    “Ya understand me? Since Muhammad Ali is not on Earth anymore, I don’t think there’s nothing ever on this Earth as bad as I am with these hands.”

    What do you think about Jones accepting Belfort’s challenge to box?

  • Oscar De La Hoya’s Latest Remarks Kills Hopes Of Belfort Rebooking

    Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya may not attempt a comeback to the ‘sweet science’ after all, following a recent interview.

    De La Hoya was supposed to face Vitor Belfort last year in an event held by Triller Fight Club but pulled out of the event after testing positive for COVID-19. He ended up getting a brief hospital stay to help treat his symptoms.

    Belfort’s trainer, Derik Santos, questioned the validity of De La Hoya’s COVID-19 diagnosis.

    It had been previously reported that Triller had been in talks to re-book the Belfort fight, but it appears that De La Hoya has no intentions of a comeback.

    “I can’t imagine myself in the ring anymore. I’m hanging up the gloves for sure and calling it a day,” De La Hoya said in an interview with BoxingScene. “It’s not likely [I will fight again]. I’m not feeling it. I went through so much in training. I was on it. When I trained, I left everything and my focus was 100%. It just drained me. I couldn’t handle it. Once I got COVID, I still have problems breathing when I’m running.

    Oscar De La Hoya
    (via AP)

    “I feel complete now. I have six projects aside from boxing that I’m working on right now that are huge – mega. I’ve refocused. I have the energy. I have a woman by my side who makes me feel like King Kong. It’s motivating. It really is. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with Golden Boy and my personal brand. Things are moving in the right direction. I’m really excited about it.”

    De La Hoya last fought in the ring against Manny Pacquiao in 2008. He would lose the fight after his corner stopped the action in the later rounds.

    De La Hoya earned multiple boxing world titles and fought some of the greatest in the sport’s history, including Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014.

    Do you think Oscar De La Hoya will fight again?

  • Vitor Belfort Wants To Fight Tommy Fury After Triller Triad Bout

    Vitor Belfort has his eyes on Tommy Fury next time out.

    Belfort is set to return at Triller Triad Combat 2 on February 26 against Chad Dawson. The former UFC champion is coming off the TKO win over Evander Holyfield in an exhibition bout in Triller Fight Club Legends 2 back in September.

    Now, even before he returns against Dawson, Belfort has his eyes on Fury and wants that fight next. He believes it makes sense as he doesn’t think the Brit should be focused on fighting Jake Paul. Instead, Belfort says Fury should want to face a real fighter.

    “I will fight him anytime,” Belfort told theScore. “Tommy Fury, it’s a shame you were going to fight Jake Paul. Fighting a YouTuber is a shame. (Paul) is a piece of shit. Not as a person —as a fighter. Tommy Fury, I’m up to the challenge,” he continued. “Let’s make this duel.”

    Vitor Belfort

    Fury, of course, was scheduled to fight Paul in the main event of a Showtime boxing pay-per-view card in December. However, the undefeated boxer was forced out of the bout with broken ribs and an infection.

    Since he pulled out, Tommy Fury campaigned to get the fight rebooked, but Belfort clearly hopes that doesn’t happen. Although Belfort is a former UFC champion, Fury would get more eyes on him if he were to box Paul and defeat him. It would also be a bigger payday for the Brit.

    At this time, it does seem unlikely Fury would box Belfort, as the Brazilian has his own fight on February 26. Should he win, then perhaps it might make sense, but Fury has yet to respond.

    What do you make of Vitor Belfort calling out Tommy Fury and who do you think would win a fight between the two?

  • Vitor Belfort Returns Against Chad Dawson At Triller Triad Combat II

    Vitor Belfort will be making his return to competition in February 2022 when he takes on former boxing champion Chad Dawson at Triller Triad Combat II.

    The first Triller Triad combat event took place last month, with Frank Mir, Matt Mitrione, and “Platinum” Mike Perry among those competing in the “MMA vs. Boxing” hybrid-themed event. Triad Combat features a unique ruleset that attempts to bridge the two sports into an even playing field within a triangular ring and two-minute rounds.

    After disposing of a 58-year-old Evander Holyfield in September, Belfort will now move on to a younger opponent in 39-year-old former light heavyweight boxing champion Chad Dawson.

    Chad Dawson begins patient comeback from KO losses - The San Diego Union-Tribune
    AP Photo/Jae Hong

    Chad Dawson has a professional boxing record of 36-5. He is currently on a two-fight winning streak and has won four of his last five fights. His opponent, Belfort, is a very familiar name for MMA fans. The former UFC light heavyweight champion has been under the public spotlight since the age of 19, with a professional MMA record of 26-14.

    It was also announced yesterday that Junior dos Santos will be headlining this card opposite accomplished Bulgarian boxer Kubrat Pulev.

    This event will be broadcast on TrillerFightClub.com and FITE. The venue and precise date are yet to be revealed.

    How do you think Vitor Belfort will fare against Chad Dawson at Triller Triad Combat II?