Vitor Belfort looking to test the chin of Chris Weidman

[Red Tex]

Have not been a big Belfort fan to be honest. Seems like many fans remember the Phenom, but that was a long time and many pounds of muscle ago. Respect to him for coming back from multiple injuries, but just have not been overly impressed since Anderson Silva demonstrated the ultra-secret Seagal high front kick on Belfort's face...

From what I saw against Munoz, looks to me like Weidman busts Vitor off his feet, overpowers him on the ground, and pounds him into submission. If Chris chose to stand with Belfort, hard to say how that would go as I don't really see Weidman as an elite striker, but the elbow he hit Munoz with was one of the slickest strikes I've seen in a long time, as well as being decidedly effective. Weidman is still growing, still honing his skills, and I'm not sure the same could be said for Belfort. No doubt Vitor is a high level competitor with tons of experience, but the feeling I get from watching Chris Weidman is that he is coming into his own, achieving new levels of competence each time out, and at 9-0, he's on a real roll.

Haven't been impressed? Vitor has rolled right through everyone in recent years other than Anderson Silva?? And other than Sonnen who exactly hasn't Anderson rolled right through? That kick just might be the most overrated KO of all time the way some of you guys ding Vitor for that, but somehow forget the other beat downs that everyone else got from Anderson. No shame in getting KO'd by Anderson. That fight ended so quickly that it is hard to even suggest that Vitor isn't capable of finishing Anderson in similar fascion. Any time those guys fight it will normally be a quick knockout.

Other than that, please explain to me how Vitor hasn't been "The Phenom?" He has finished everyone else in the UFC in a pretty brutal fascion and had been on a decent streak going into the UFC. Not to mention that, Vitor has demonstrated a great focus and commitment to his training and his career which is something he lacked in the past do to being at the early stages of the sport and his sister being kidnapped. I'd say Vitor has shown nothing but signs that he's been moving in the right direction and on the path that he should have been on before so much chaos entered his family's life.

[Mu_Shin]

I think the impression I have of Belfort has something to do with the shape of the 19 year old kid who fought as a heavyweight in UFC 12. Remember him? I can't find any records of his fighting weight back then, but I'm thinking that kid had to weigh at least 215-220, if not more. He was explosive, even brutal, and deserved the accolades he reaped, as long as you don't look too closely at how he likely built that killer physique.

As a long time bodybuilding fan, and one of the people who not only came to MMA in '93 at UFC II, but also rolled with a guy years ago who at 5'5" 235lbs could bench 500lbs, I'm not naive about what anabolic supplements mean in this sport. Belfort was suspended in 2006 for elevated testosterone after losing a decision to Dan Henderson, using the tried and true "my doctor gave it to me and I didn't know" defense. Don't really buy it from Overeem, and can't say I give Belfort's attempt at candor that much more credence.

Still, Tex's points are well taken. No shame in getting clocked by the best that's ever been, and aside from the title loss, Belfort has aquitted himself well in the ring most recently. I guess for me, also similar to Overeem, when I look at Belfort's record, it seems like the best known fighters he has faced have found a way to beat The Phenom. As he is no longer the specimen he was at 19, that leaves an impression in my appraisal of his standing in the sport. Great hands, great hand speed, lots of experience, just not one of my favorites, and I think a rising Weidman has the tools to take him. If they meet, it should be a great fight, one I'll watch with interest.

[Misfit]

Mu, I kinda agree with you. I used to look at Belfort like this, first 90 seconds of a fight, amazing fighter, after that, just above average. I remember when he fought sakuraba, I was terrified the first minute for sakuraba but after that, not worried at all. I felt the same about him until the lindland fight, that was the first time I saw a patient fighter in Belfort which then made him a very scary fighter cause you didn't know when that 90 seconds of greatness was going to show up. Then against Franklin, he showed me he could turn it off and on which as another growth at becoming a great fighter. Maybe with the roids usage, he's still only got 90 seconds of greatness in him per fight, however, spreading that over a full fight 5 seconds at a time can make him extremely dangerous to anybody he fights. I would say I was like you Mu with his first run in the ufc but now at 185, I think he may be the 2nd best in the Division.

posting out of Alaska this summer.

[Brunow]

I also think Vitor is now a better overall fighter. Less explosive maybe. But he's patient, skilled as hell, and arguably still has the best hands in MMA. I really think he's a better fighter now than then.

[Misfit]

I agree 100% brunow, hopefully my post didn't make it sound like I didn't feel that way. He's clearly a much, much better MMA fighter now than he was.

[Brunow]

I agree 100% brunow, hopefully my post didn't make it sound like I didn't feel that way. He's clearly a much, much better MMA fighter now than he was.

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