Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold celebrates title defense versus Tim Kennedy – Photo by Esther Lin for Showtime
While in London for a press conference for this weekends upcoming Fuel TV event, Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White confirmed plans by the promotion to pit the final Strikeforce middleweight champ Luke Rockhold (10-1) against former UFC contender ‘The Phenom’ Vitor Beflort (22-10) in the main event of a future UFC event in Brazil.
No news has surfaced at this time as to when that event might take place but it’s believed to be in the second-quarter of the year placing it likely in April or May.
It’s very likely that the bout will determine the next No. 1 contender to challenge UFC middleweight title holder Anderson Silva.
Rockhold has won nine straight inside the Strikeforce cage which includes winning the 185-lb title along with two title defenses. The California fighter was last in action this past July when he successfully defeated Tim Kennedy by decision. Rockhold won the title back in September 2011 by winning a unanimous decision over former champ Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza. Rockhold had been scheduled to fight Lorenz Larkin’s this November and this past January, but a nagging shoulder injury forced him off both cards.
Belfort put a temporary stop to Michael Bisping’s middleweight title aspirations last month after dispatching of ‘The Count’ via second round TKO. ‘The Phenom’ landed a head kick, which sent Bisping to the mat, and finished things with some ground-and-pound. The win followed a loss at light heavyweight where Belfort challenged division champ Jon Jones in a title match last September at UFC 152. Belfort took the fight on short notice and came up short losing by fourth round submission to ‘Bones’ at the Toronto show.