Vitor Belfort has looked like a monster of late, crushing high-level competition in devastating fashion and reasserting himself near the top of the middleweight division.
Since losing in a title bid to Anderson Silva back in 2011, Belfort has gone 4-0 at middleweight (he lost to Jon Jones at light heavyweight), and only one of his victims has made it out of the first round.
It’s been impressive any way you look at it. Unfortunately for Belfort, many look at his accomplishments as unnaturally aided.
Belfort‘s last three wins have come in his native Brazil, where he has a TRT exemption.
Some fans have pointed to the correlation between Belfort‘s immense success and fighting under that exemption. Now, it seems that some fighters—potential opponents—are simply refusing to allow Belfort to further develop that correlation.
When a potential showdown between Belfort and middleweight contender Costa Philippou was kicked around on Twitter, Philippou himself jumped on board, but he added a stipulation to the theoretical matchup.
Philippou‘s condition goes straight to the heart of the matter without mentioning it directly. Belfort‘s TRT exemption does not extend everywhere—just Brazil—so the purpose of Philippou‘s condition is apparent.
The hashtag makes sure of that.
Belfort, who was busted for a positive PED test back in 2006 in Las Vegas, has become a poster-child for the wider discussion of TRT in MMA. Now, it seems that his association with the therapy could be troubling to his career.
While it is ultimately the UFC that decides when and where fights happen, combatants themselves do have influence. Therefore, if Philippou‘s stance on Belfort catches on, Belfort could be left with two options: sparse options in Brazil, or go forward without TRT replacement therapy.
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