Vitor Belfort Explains Why He’ll Never Return To MMA
Vitor Belfort doesn’t plan on returning to any MMA promotion after he is done with his upcoming boxing showdown against Oscar De La Hoya on September 11 in Los Angeles.
The 44-year-old Brazilian believes that the dynamics of MMA that promotions are adopting are not in favor of the fighters.
“The answer is that it’s looking like (I’m) not (going to return to MMA),” Belfort said in an interview to MMA Junkie. “It’s better for the promoters, not so good for the fighters. It’s not changing or adapting to what we think it should. The rules are not there for us. They’re not adapting in a way that’s safe for the fighters.”
Belfort (26-14) last fought in 2018 and lost via KO/TKO to Lyoto Machida. His resume includes some known names in MMA like Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva and Jon Jones – all of whom he lost to.
Belfort, now 44, rose to fame for his stellar performances in the UFC and PRIDE. He debuted in the UFC in February 1997 and was on a three-fight winning streak before being stopped by Randy Couture.
He explained why a man of his age would fit better inside a ring than an octagon.
“Right now, and even (UFC president) Dana White has said it, this is a young man’s sport. But guess what? I’ll box any champion in MMA and I can beat them up in a boxing match,” Belfort claimed.
The MMA veteran added that the violence in the sport forces fighters to cut their careers short