MMA Fighter Bios: VITOR BELFORT
VITOR BELFORT
BORN: Las Vegas, Nevada
6’0, middleweight and light-heavyweight
Vitor Belfort knows how to make an impression. And he’s made some very lasting ones in the collective consciousness of the MMA world. They have been fast, but highly memorable. A 12 second debut in MMA set the tone for his career. After defeating John Hess in 1996 in a dozen seconds, the UFC came calling and Belfort answered quickly by wining in just over a minute in his debut against Tra Telligman. After TKOing huge heavyweight Scott Ferrozzo in 43 seconds, Belfort would do the same to Tank Abbot in 52 seconds. Belfort had loads of hype around him and was one of the most feared fighters in the game. His fast knockouts were astounding everyone.
Randy Couture was up next for Belfort, and the MMA community expected a big win for Belfort, but Couture as he has does his whole career, proved everyone wrong and won via TKO over Belfort, in the Brazilians first defeat.
But Belfort would not be denied his spot as one of the top dogs in the game. He came back to defeat Joe Charles and then took out Wanderlei Silva with a flurry of punches which left Silva TKOd in 44 seconds.
Belfort left for Pride and in his debut was defeated by Kazushi Sakuraba by decision. Doing well in the early going, after facing some resistance and attack from Sakuraba, Belfort appeared to lose his focus and will to compete as Sakuraba would simply kick and stomp Vitor as the Brazilian laid on his back for much of the rest of the bout.
But his next 4 fights in Pride would all by wins, before Belfort returned to the UFC Octagon to take on Chuck Liddell. In a close back and forth fight, Belfort lost a decision to Liddell. But would return in spectacular fashion in the next year to finish Marvin Eastman by a brutal TKO. Belfort found himself fighting for the title next against Randy Couture, and was able to snag the light-heavyweight crown in 46 seconds after a cut forced a doctor stoppage of the fight. Belfort was a UFC champion for the first time in his career, despite winning the heavyweight UFC tourney years back.
Unfortunately for Belfort, he would go on a big slump from 2004 to 2006, where he amassed a 2-5 record, and was defeated by some tough opponents in Couture, where he lost his title; Tito Ortiz, Alistair Overeem (2 times in Pride) and Dan Henderson. But Belfort is an extremely talented fighter and always appears to bounce back and find his way back to the top. He scored a four fight win streak afterwards and took out Ivan Serati, James Zikic, Terry Martin and Matt Lindland. The Lindland bout was a successful second bout at 185, and Belfort appears to be invigorated and ready to reinvent himself at middleweight. If he’s 100 percent focused there is often no stopping “The Phenom” from doing whatever he wants inside that cage.
PHENOMenal ACHIEVEMENTS
UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament Champion
Former UFC Light-heavyweight Champion
Cage Rage Light-heavyweight Champion
