Vitor Belfort waited more than a year to face Chris Weidman for the middleweight belt. Well, he probably wants some of that time back right now.
While the Brazilian striker had the champ on wobbly legs for a split second during their UFC 187 bout, the deflated middleweight was unable to seal the deal.
Weidman recovered, scored a perfectly timed takedown and quickly took mount. From there, he poured on hammerfists and elbows with impunity. Belfort turtled and the ref called the fight off two minutes and 53 seconds into Round 1.
Now, it’s back to the drawing board for Belfort.
With a suddenly stacked middleweight division, there are more than a few interesting options out there for his next opponent. Here are some of the best candidates to fill that role.
Gegard Mousasi
If Belfort is looking for a quick turnaround, Gegard Mousasi is likely the best option available for him. Currently sitting at No. 7 in Bleacher Report’s official middleweight rankings, he is one of the few fighters who is an elite-level talent with a clear schedule.
While this pairing flies in the face of the UFC’s usual “match fighters coming off losses against one another” approach, it’s important to remember one simple thing: Mousasi isn’t Brazilian.
With Belfort no longer being a contender, the UFC would be wise to once again employ him as its go-to headliner for Fight Night events in Brazil.
Traditionally, these cards are rife with “Brazilian vs. foreigner” fights, and Mousasi fits that bill. Sliding them into UFC 190 or attaching them to a Fox Sports 1 event in late summer or early fall would be a solid move in terms of both matchmaking and ratings.
Tim Kennedy
Mousasi isn’t the only top-10, non-Brazilian middleweight out there with no fight lined up and major injury to deal with. Tim Kennedy also fits that bill, and a bout with Belfort would be quite the matchup.
Kennedy has been angling for a fight with Belfort since 2013 and has never, ever been one to pull punches when it comes to discussing his controversial use of testosterone replacement therapy. The Iraq War veteran has always been a quote machine, and matching him against Belfort would generate an obscene amount of hype ahead of the bout.
With that said, it is unclear whether or not Kennedy is retired. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour (h/t MMA Fighting) in February, Kennedy came just shy of saying he was calling it quits.
In April, however, he threw his fans a bone by challenging Lyoto Machida in Chael Sonnen-like fashion.
If Kennedy is looking to get back into the cage, he would be a perfect opponent for Belfort. As with Mousasi, a bout in the summer or fall would be ideal.
Costas Philippou
Whether you love or hate Belfort, there is no denying that he remains one of the biggest draws in the UFC today.
Because of that, Dana White and Co. would be wise to take steps to prolong his career, which certainly feels like it’s on shaky ground right now.
The best way to do this, of course, is by giving him an opponent who fits well with his style. Somebody with a striking background and little wrestling to speak of. Somebody who would be willing to engage him in the kind of all-stand-up fight that could allow him to score an emphatic knockout.
Somebody like—you guessed it—Costas Philippou. Philippou is coming off a loss to Mousasi. What’s more, he has been generally struggling of late, running up a 1-3 record over his last four fights.
However, that makes him the best option for the UFC as it looks to preserve one of its cash cows.
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