Upcoming UFC middleweight title challenger Vitor Belfort is accusing champion Chris Weidman of milking and/or embellishing an injury in order to hold onto his belt through the holiday season.
In an interview with Brazilian media outlet Combate, “The Phenom” implied that Weidman‘s broken hand, which forced him out of UFC 181 (h/t Ariel Helwani), came with awfully convenient timing (translation per MMA Mania).
I think that all titleholders who have more than one injury, the UFC should create an interim title in their divisions. Nobody would lose. Not the fans, not the fighters, not the UFC, only the injured athlete. Injuries are part of the sport, because we have to train at a high-level pace. But hurting himself twice in a row with such little time in his career? Are you kidding me? To me, he wanted to keep his belt during Christmas and that was the only way.
Weidman, who has fought just four times since July 2012, has defeated Mark Munoz, Anderson Silva (twice) and Lyoto Machida in his most recent Octagon outings.
“The All-American” was initially slated to fight Machida, an ex-UFC light heavyweight champ, at UFC 173 in May.
However, the bout was postponed by about six weeks when Weidman had meniscus surgery on both knees, per MMA Junkie.
The champ returned at UFC 175 in July, winning a hard-fought decision over “The Dragon” in an entertaining five-round affair.
In fairness, Weidman was initially supposed to fight Belfort at UFC 173, but the Brazilian slugger was removed from the card shortly after the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s ban of testosterone replacement therapy, per FOX Sports.
Belfort is riding a three-fight win streak, all headkick knockouts, and hasn’t fought since a Round 1 stoppage of Dan Henderson at UFC Fight Night 32 in November.
Will “The Phenom” be the one to end Weidman‘s unbeaten streak in 2015 or will “The All-American” once again prove he’s a cut above the rest at 185 pounds?
John Heinis is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA editor for eDraft.com.
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