Fighters Only

Issue 060

March 2010

Nicknamed ‘The Phenom’, former UFC light heavyweight champ Vitor Belfort burst onto the MMA scene in 1996 at only 19 years of age. Trained by the legendary Carlson Gracie, Belfort was primarily known as a striker. His fast hands and prodigious fighting ability earned him his nickname – in a time when fighters still represented one style, Belfort was a jiu-jitsu representative who could box.

STATISTICS

Name Vitor Belfort

Age 32

Height 6’0”

Category 185lb

Record 19-8-0

13 TKOs (68.42%)

2 Submissions (10.53%)

4 Decisions (21.05%)

Fighting Style Boxing / Jiu-Jitsu

Fights out of Vegas, Nevada

Active since 1996

Belfort won his first four fights in the combined time of two minutes and 58 seconds, blazing through the UFC 12 heavyweight tournament in one minute 50. It wasn’t until his fifth fight, in 1997, when he met Randy Couture (who was fighting in only his third fight) that Belfort struggled. The loss saw him reinvent himself and, aside from a 1999 decision loss to Sakuraba, Belfort went undefeated until meeting Chuck Liddell in 2002.

Throughout his 13-year career, Belfort has faced the very best the MMA world has to offer. He has wins over Wanderlei Silva, Heath Herring, Marvin Eastman, Randy Couture, Matt Lindland and Rich Franklin, and has fought at middle, light heavy and heavyweight. Belfort returned to the UFC after a four-year absence for a 195lb catchweight bout with Franklin, knocking out the former middleweight champ in just over three minutes.

Next up for ‘The Phenom’ is a shot at Anderson Silva and the middleweight title, with a date for the fight tentatively penciled in for April.

Psychology

Belfort has always been used as an example of fighters who are ‘hot and cold’. His performances vary wildly; at times he can appear world-class and blow his opponents out of the water. At others, he looks pedestrian and his record is littered with losses to mediocre opponents. Belfort has suffered from personal problems away from the ring, most notably the tragic kidnapping of his sister in 2004, whose fate was only discovered in 2007 when a woman confessed to her murder.

Hand Speed

Belfort’s most memorable characteristic is his fierce punching speed and KO power. Of his wins, 68% have been by KO or TKO, with ten of those coming in the first round.

Conditioning

Belfort has steadily moved down in weight throughout his career. An undersized and over-muscled heavyweight, his fights at light heavyweight showcased his explosive combination of speed and power. Since dropping down in weight Belfort has remained as powerful as before, a result of working closely with Las Vegas-based strength and conditioning trainer Jake Bonacci at Xtreme Couture.

CAREER SNAPSHOT

1996

Debuts in MMA at 19 years of age, wins in 12 seconds.

1997

Wins UFC 12 heavyweight tournament, loses to Randy Couture.

1999

Debuts in Pride, where he fights until returning to the UFC in 2002.

2003

Splits Marvin Eastman’s head open with a huge flying knee at UFC 43.

2004

Wins UFC 205lb title. His sister is kidnapped, later found to be murdered.

2008