Vitor belfort (left) recalls fight against Anderson Silva (right). Photo: Reproduction / UFC
Vitor belfort stated that if he had the opportunity to face Anderson Silva more times, the result would be different. In an interview with the program 'ESPN Knockout', the former UFC light heavyweight champion (up to 93kg.) assured that the defeat to 'Spider' in UFC 126, February 2011, was the result of a tactical error.
The 'Phenomenon', as he is known, believes that the victory of Anderson Silva for the middleweight belt (up to 83,9 kg) was the result of a single opportunity well taken advantage of, and that in other aspects of the fight, such as boxing and ground, he would be superior.
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“Anderson only had one chance, which was to land that kick. In boxing and on the ground I was far superior to him, but I couldn’t execute it. He was the one who fought better. That’s why there was no rematch. I think if I fought ten times, I would lose that one and win the other nine,” concluded the Rio native.
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort – the fight that changed the fate of the UFC in Brazil
the fight between Anderson Silva e Vitor belfort at UFC 126, marked by the spectacular knockout of 'Spider' with a front kick, is considered one of the most iconic moments in the history of the sport in Brazil.
In addition to the rivalry, the confrontation between the two fighters helped popularize the UFC brand in the country, as well as solidifying the name of the Curitiba native in the organization's arsenal of idols. Anderson had two other title defenses before losing the belt to Chris Weidman, more than two years later.
Belfort, in turn, managed to reinvent himself and went through another good moment in the organization from 2011 to 2015, including fights for the belt against Jon Jones e Chris Weidman.
Rematch in boxing?
Anderson Silva remains active in boxing and, in his last fight, he drew with Chael Sonnen. 'Spider' is considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time and is part of the UFC Hall of Fame. Vitor belfort has not acted since April 2023, when he won Ronaldo Jacare in the noble art. They have no fight scheduled and a new meeting is speculated by fans.
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