Issue 104
August 2013
Whether you believe it’s testosterone or technique that’s landed Vitor Belfort back in contention for not one but two UFC title belts in 2013, he doesn’t care. All he’s bothered about is getting his shot at redemption.
Whatever you do, don’t ask Vitor Belfort if he’s back. That would suggest he’s actually been away. When in actuality the former UFC light heavyweight champion has just been finding his route back to the top. Today he’s finally on his journey, and life has never been so good.
With sensational back-to-back knockouts over legitimate middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold secured already in 2013, ‘The Phenom’ – once the hottest young star in mixed martial arts – has put himself right back in contention for both 185lb and 205lb UFC gold.
Of course, he has his fair share of critics. His use of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) irks both fighters and fans alike. Yet Belfort describes his condition as a disease and insists not a day goes by when he doesn’t wish he didn’t have to take it. But he won’t be victimized either, and won’t compete at a disadvantage just because people are ignorant to his situation.
UFC president Dana White has already earmarked Belfort as the next contender for the middleweight title once Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman settle their differences at UFC 162 in Las Vegas on Independence Day weekend. But a return with light heavyweight linchpin Jon Jones is what truly attracts the former 205lb champion, who believes he’s ready to go one step further than in their previous encounter.
Indeed, 2013 has witnessed the rebirth of Vitor Belfort. The rebirth of one of MMA’s biggest and brightest stars. “Definitely. This is definitely the rebirth of me as a champion,” Belfort explains to FO. “That’s exactly how I do it. Every day I like to die so I can live again.
“In pre-school you are taught that to live, you’ve got to die. For us to live, Jesus had to die. It’s just like a butterfly, who is a caterpillar before it’s reborn as a butterfly. That’s what I am doing every day. I am being reborn every day. I make the sacrifices in the gym, killing myself, so one day I will be champion again. My coaches provide the fire and I provide the sacrifice.”
So the old lion, the king of the jungle, is back then? “He never left. He’s always been here, it’s just time for me to rise again,” he says with a smile. “Everything has fallen into place for me. When you are happy, and you’ve listened to the voice of God inside you, and you realize it’s not your will, it’s his will… I don’t see my life like I have to work hard. I want to work hard. That’s the difference now.
“When you are able to change the ‘have to’ to a ‘want to,’ then that’s when great things happen. It’s when life stops being a chore and it becomes a joy and a journey. It’s not just you making your way in life, it’s when it becomes a journey. You know you are on your journey when even the bad stuff becomes good, and that’s my life right now. That’s my journey.”
A huge part of Belfort’s happiness and his success he believes is down to settling on the East Coast, in Florida, and joining the Blackzilians camp. “I’ve been in Florida for almost a year now, since I fought Jon Jones. I arrived here and stayed here at Blackzilians ever since. Now it’s home.
“The way I see my life is, God first, my family second and my friends and my workplace, at Blackzilians, are next. They are like a family to me, and I am devoted to my coaches and my training partners as much as I am dedicated to my family. I’ve never had such good coaches in my life like I have now. That’s not to say that I haven’t had good coaches before, but right now things are just falling into place.”
Blackzilians
Blackzilians striking coach Henry Hooft has clearly made a huge impact on Belfort, judging by the demolition jobs he did against Bisping and Rockhold, yet he says that it’s not only the Dutchman that’s helped to sculpt Belfort-2013. “At Blackzilians, me and him have really bound together. We work so well together and I am able to get all of his knowledge into my body and my brain and then I bring that together with my work with wrestling coach Kenny Monday also.
“I never had too much time with Kenny for this last camp, but if you give me a day with coaches like that, of that caliber, then I will make it like a thousand days. Like Jesus said, if you give me just one day I will make that day count for 1,000 days – and that’s my commitment and attitude when I work with these guys. That’s how I handle myself in the gym.
“So for wrestling, I have the best guy I’ve ever had in my life, in Kenny Monday, a guy who can really impart on my training and my soul. And then I have Henry Hooft, who has come over from K-1 and has a whole new direction and all these statistics, and we also have a great connection. And then I have Pedro Diaz for boxing, so I have all the weapons I could possibly need.
“Another of my coaches is Gilbert Burns, who is one half of the world-class jiu-jitsu brothers. And all of these guys who I am talking about are like family to me, they are like father figures to me in my life. We are connected on a different level. We are going outside of the path. We are progressing together as a family… And I’m not forgetting Jake Bonacci too, who has worked with me on strength and conditioning for so long also.”
And Belfort’s happiness in the gym is speaking louder than words ever could once he steps inside the Octagon. Two fights from under the Blackzilians banner; and two ‘Knockout of the Night’ performances. Yet he insists it’s all down to good, honest hard work.
“Hard work pays off and the more you doubt that, the more it will prove you wrong. Having a strong work ethic, remaining humble and keeping your feet on the floor is the key. And now the best is yet to come as well, you will see,” he states. “You haven’t even seen the best of me yet. There have been so many improvements, so many advances, and I just haven’t had time to show it all yet.”
Knockouts
Both Bisping and Rockhold were favored by fans and pundits worldwide ahead of their meetings with Vitor earlier this year. Yet on both occasions, the 36-year-old served up the kind of ruthless performances that built his name as a special talent more than 15 years ago.
“Both of these guys were contenders for the belt, they are top contenders like me at the top of the division. But I really did my job, and that job was to win. So that’s what I did, and now I’m looking forward and onwards – I want to keep moving forward.
“Bisping was one of the top guys in the division and everybody was saying, ‘He is going to fight for the title once he beat Vitor,’ but he wasn’t going to beat me. They doubted me against Bisping and they doubted me against Rockhold, and both of these guys are good, but I went in there to prove these people wrong. And I was just like a T-Rex.
“Imagine if a dinosaur went into the jungle today, it would be impossible for the lion to stay on top. And I’m a guy who has the old nature like a dinosaur. But also, I am still the lion also.”
Belfort will be a spectator when the UFC middleweight belt is contested in Las Vegas on July 6th, but admits whilst he’d like the opportunity to avenge his loss to Anderson he’s happy to fight whoever it takes to regain the belt.
He says: “The main goal of every fighter is to earn the respect of the fans and earn their shot at any title. If the fans and the UFC want me to fight the winner of that fight, then that’s what I will do. But the most important thing is earning that shot at the title.
“Its’ like the NBA; you have to win in the playoffs to make the final. And it’s the same in the UFC. If everybody thinks I have done enough to earn my shot, OK, I’m ready. And that’s how I approach my life, how I approach my marriage and approach being a father too. I work hard at those things also, to be the best I can be.
“As a UFC fighter, it was good to hear Dana say that he thinks I should fight the winner of that fight also. I had just beaten the champion of Strikeforce in a good way, and before that I beat Bisping as well, another tremendous fighter. So I’m just looking forward to fighting whoever is next. I don’t make those calls. I am like a Navy SEAL and if Dana calls for me, I will come to fight for my team and for the fans and my family.”
And as for potential rematches… “I’m focused only on me only, nobody else. But the rematch I really like would be me and Jon (Jones). I’ll happily make that declaration. In our first fight, on that day, I just wasn’t there, I wasn’t switched on. And as for Jon, I just don’t think he’s that strong or that tough.
“Don’t get me wrong, I think he is the best fighter in the UFC right now, and he comes with a lot of momentum behind him. But I know I have all the tools to beat him next time. I really respect Jones. I don’t want to sound like I don’t, ‘cos I do, but this is all about me. I’m just talking about me and what I did last time compared to what I know I am capable of doing. But Chris Weidman and Silva, of course, I am focused on fighting them also. Whatever the fans and the UFC want. I’m just preparing to be the world champion, whichever weight that may be at.
“Anderson also is a great athlete and Weidman too has really proved himself and deserves his chance to go there and have his shot – and it really will be a great matchup, and a real war.”
Making Bones
Clearly Belfort’s performance against Jones, when he came agonizingly close to ending the tenure of the young world champion courtesy of an almost bone-breaking armbar in the first round, eats away at him. He adds: “I will never say something if I don’t believe it, and I do believe I can beat Jon, and everybody knows what I am capable of doing.
“It’s all about desire and I want to go back in there with my new desire, and my new strategy, and really fight. I just want to be prepared when that time comes – if that time comes. You asked me what I would like, and that’s definitely something I would like. But it’s not easy, it’s a long road back there and it’s hard. But I just know I want to be there, where he is now, as the champion.”
Another thing Vitor likes is being back fighting in Brazil. After spending practically his entire career on the road, three of his last four fights have been on home soil and Belfort has enjoyed every second. “I love the crowds in Brazil, the way they cheer for me and dance with me. It’s really a big part of my life, the fans supporting me, people from my country.
“But I love to fight in America also. And the fans in both countries now are really getting behind the fighters and really supporting the UFC, and that’s great. It’s really exciting and rewarding also. Its’ great to see the love that I have not just in Brazil but in America as well. And it’s because the fans recognize how much I have done for the sport and how much of my life I’ve invested into MMA. But fighting in front of crowds at home, of course, every time it’s just an unforgettable moment.
“There is no national rivalry or loyalty, and that’s the beauty of MMA perhaps: that the fans don’t follow you because of where you are from, they follow you because of your personality. People like to connect with personalities and what you bring to the table.
“I have so many fans in America also. So much so, that when I fought Randy Couture it was like half and half and that was in Las Vegas. I think country support is important and has a place in the sport, but it’s relationships and personalities that count so much more.”
Critics however, suggest the reason Belfort keeps headlining in Brazil is due to the his TRT usage, and with a steroid ban from the Nevada State Athletic Commission from 2006 the chances of receiving clearance to fight with an exemption – on the West Coast at least – appear minimal. Low ‘T’ levels after all can result from previous steroid abuse.
Testosterone
Belfort’s frustration regarding the matter boiled over in Brazil, when he verbally berated an American journalist who brought up his TRT usage after the Rockhold win. Yet Vitor insists he feels like a victim and his condition needs to be treated otherwise he’s simply at a disadvantage with his peers.
He says: “Firstly, I made an apology to the reporter who I made an outburst against at the post-fight press conference, but I was stuck there and enough was enough. I had done so many tests before that fight, I mean week after week, even the day before the fight I was taking tests, and he is still talking about my ethics.
“There are fighters who do stuff on their own and ones who even have doctors washing things out of their system to fight… I’m not here to judge any of those guys, but what I’m trying to say is that nobody kicks a dog when it’s down, and had I lost those fights it wouldn’t have even been mentioned. But because I am winning then it’s a big issue.
“I understand because one time in my career I made a mistake, but this now is very different, this is a condition. I have done everything I can to not break the rules. TRT is legal. I am not doing anything wrong. It’s just like treating diabetes or any other disease. Low testosterone is a dysfunction that I have to live with, and if I don’t treat it then I will be at a clear disadvantage. The only reason I take it is to be on an even playing field with what the other guy already has, so I’m not doing anything illegal.
“My condition has been diagnosed by many doctors and cleared by everybody. But because of the level of performance I am having people are asking these questions. But believe me, it is all just technique. It’s training and hard work. But it’s hard for people to admit that a guy of my age can perform so much better than these guys who are, like, 26.
“But why are people p**sed with my success? I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m being 100% professional. I’m not ashamed. I’m not hiding anything. Some people will just be negative. And if I lost, for sure, nobody would be talking about it. So, let them keep talking about it, because I don’t plan on losing. I’m working hard; today we crush the grapes so tomorrow we drink the wine.”
Belfort even admits he wishes he didn’t have to be on TRT. “Of course, like with any ailment nobody likes going to the doctor. Do you think I like going to the doctor and taking medicine? But it is what it is, and there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s a disease and I won’t be ashamed of it, so I’m not hiding it.
“I don’t cheat. I don’t cut corners. I get asked about my diet; I don’t have a diet. I have a style of life. I choose to eat a certain way. I don’t diet. I’m very happy to be doing what I am doing, and if that includes taking blood or doing tests then I will do that. People don’t know that I was getting tested week after week, people don’t know that, the press don’t know that. But I was dropping blood right up until after the fight.
“I did everything I was asked and yet nobody is saying, ‘Oh Vitor was so good and he is clean.’ Nobody cares about that. But then that’s the world we live in. But all I care is what God thinks about me, what my conscience and my wife think about me. And my kids. I don’t think a lot of guys would admit to that, to being concerned with what their wife thinks. But the haters out there will always hate, and you know what, I’ll pray for them. I’ll pray for the haters.”
He adds: “Haters can’t change my mentality. You know, being negative and talking badly about others is such a negative way to live. People live their lives planting bad seeds about other people, but that’s not a good life and not the life I would encourage people to live. If I had nothing good to say about a person I’d say, ‘Let’s change the subject.’ That’s got to be one of the worst things in life, speaking badly about others.”
But what about fighting again in the US, returning to compete in Las Vegas? Does the fear of having his TRT exemption rejected by the NSAC concern him? “Right now I am trying to move house and then head out on vacation, but I will fight whoever and wherever the UFC wants me to fight. I’m happy to fight back in Vegas, but I have a passion to fight anywhere. This is my life and my living.
“I just want to be champion. I’m just looking to move up and not down. My gym is up, my church is up, my family is up, I go up and don’t go down.”
Vitor Belfort: Timeline
1977: Vitor Vieira Belfort is born in Rio De Janeiro to Maria Jovita Vieira and Jose Marcos Belfort.
1986: Although a talented BMX rider and tennis player, Vitor falls in love with martial arts at the age of nine when his father takes him to his first judo lesson.
1994: Begins training with Carlson Gracie and at the age of 17 becomes a black belt under the jiu-jitsu legend.
1996: Makes his MMA debut in Hawaii in front of the LA Lakers team, finishing the six-foot-seven and 300lb Jon Hess in just 12 seconds.
Feb 7th 1997: Belfort debuts in the Octagon in UFC 12’s heavyweight tournament, where he defeats Tra Telligman and Scott Ferrozzo to win it.
1997: Makes three more appearances in the UFC, going 2-1, beating Tank Abbott and Joe Charles but losing to Randy Couture in a heavyweight title eliminator.
Oct 16th 1998: Has one of his most memorable wins against Wanderlei Silva at UFC: Ultimate Brazil, rushing him with strikes and finishing him in 44 seconds.
1999: Has one fight during ‘99 against soon-to-be-Pride-superstar Kazushi Sakuraba, losing via convincing unanimous decision.
2000–2001: Bounces back from the Sakuraba loss by racking up four Pride wins in a row, defeating Heath Herring and Gilbert Yvel along the way.
2002: After a three-year absence returns to the UFC to face Chuck Liddell at UFC 37.5. Loses a competitive fight by unanimous decision.
Jan 31st 2004: Defeats then UFC light heavyweight champ Randy Couture due to a cut. But the victory is overshadowed by the prior abduction of Belfort’s sister, Priscilla.
2004 – 2005: The only losing streak of his career. Suffering losses to Couture, in a rematch for the UFC title; former champ Tito Ortiz; and in his return to Pride he’s submitted by Alistair Overeem.
2006: Belfort has a successful boxing debut in his home country of Brazil in April, but loses in his return to Pride against Dan Henderson.
2007: Returns to British promotion Cage Rage where he defeats Ivan Serati via TKO and takes the light heavyweight title off of James Zikic in a one-sided victory at Cage Rage 23.
July 19th 2008: Makes his middleweight and Affliction debut against heavy-handed Terry Martin, successfully knocking out the UFC alumnus in the second despite breaking his left hand in two places.
2009: After brutally knocking out Matt Lindland at the final Affliction event, makes his UFC return KO’ing former UFC middleweight champ Rich Franklin.
Feb 5th 2011: After a series of canceled dates, Belfort finally challenges Anderson Silva for the middleweight title at UFC 126, but loses in highlight-reel fashion from a devastating front kick to the face.
2011: Returns to action at UFC 133 and finishes Japanese star Yoshihiro Akiyama. with vicious strikes.
Jan 14th 2012: Has his first MMA fight back in Brazil since defeating Wanderlei Silva in 1998, submitting a 12lb overweight Anthony Johnson via rear naked choke.
Sept 22nd 2012: After the cancelation of UFC 151 and a host of fighters declining to face light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, he steps in and nearly submits ‘Bones’ in the first round due to armbar, but is eventually submitted in the fourth via Americana.
Jan 19th 2013: After months of talk, finally faces Michael Bisping at UFC on FX in Sao Paulo. Although the first round was competitive, Belfort eventually floored the Brit with a head kick and followed up with punches for the victory.
May 18th 2013: Finishes former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold with a spinning heel-kick and punches in an early contender for the Fighters Only World MMA Awards’ ‘Knockout of the Year.’
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