So the Thing About Vitor Belfort vs. Tim Kennedy Is, It’s Probably Not Happening [D’OH!]


(Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals… except the weasel. -Homer Simpson)

Over the weekend, we reported that Vitor Belfort vs. Tim Kennedy had been booked for that tentatively-titled Brazilian event in October. Suffice it to say, we might have jumped the gun a bit when we said “booked.”

Here’s the thing: Dana White said that the bout was being put together, and how many people turn down The Baldfather or that mean little f*cker, Joe Silva? Kennedy’s tweet also seemed to indicate that the fight was the done deal, so can you really blame us? WE JUST WANTED A PICK-ME-UP, DAMN IT.

In any case, Belfort’s wife/manager, Joana Prado, recently spoke on his behalf, telling Combate that the Kennedy matchup “didn’t make sense.” Which in today’s MMA landscape, means “give him a week to come around.”

 It doesn’t make sense that Vitor, who is No. 1 in the rankings, should fight against No. 2, No. 6 or No. 10 in his weight class. His next fight in the middleweight class will be against the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva. If the UFC wishes him to fight in any class above middleweight, we are at their disposal. It can be anyone, Tim Kennedy, even Roy Nelson, but it has to be at 205 pounds or heavyweight – he’ll even fight as a heavyweight. Vitor wants to fight, but in his weight class, only if for the belt.

As oddly as that was worded, we kind of understand Belfort’s logic here.


(Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It’s what separates us from the animals… except the weasel. -Homer Simpson)

Over the weekend, we reported that Vitor Belfort vs. Tim Kennedy had been booked for that tentatively-titled Brazilian event in October. Suffice it to say, we might have jumped the gun a bit when we said “booked.”

Here’s the thing: Dana White said that the bout was being put together, and how many people turn down The Baldfather or that mean little f*cker, Joe Silva? Kennedy’s tweet also seemed to indicate that the fight was the done deal, so can you really blame us? WE JUST WANTED A PICK-ME-UP, DAMN IT.

In any case, Belfort’s wife/manager, Joana Prado, recently spoke on his behalf, telling Combate that the Kennedy matchup “didn’t make sense.” Which in today’s MMA landscape, means “give him a week to come around.”

 It doesn’t make sense that Vitor, who is No. 1 in the rankings, should fight against No. 2, No. 6 or No. 10 in his weight class. His next fight in the middleweight class will be against the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Anderson Silva. If the UFC wishes him to fight in any class above middleweight, we are at their disposal. It can be anyone, Tim Kennedy, even Roy Nelson, but it has to be at 205 pounds or heavyweight – he’ll even fight as a heavyweight. Vitor wants to fight, but in his weight class, only if for the belt.

As oddly as that was worded, we kind of understand Belfort’s logic here.

While asking for another title shot is a bit presumptuous, a fight with Kennedy doesn’t exactly make a ton of sense either. Belfort is ranked #2 on the UFC’s official list. Kennedy is not ranked at all. Belfort just dusted the guy who put a five round beating on Kennedy less than a year ago. Kennedy is coming off a tepid win over Roger Gracie, also unranked, in his UFC debut. We’re not saying it couldn’t make for an interesting fight, but it’s pretty much a lose-lose for Belfort.

Dana White’s response was surprisingly curse-free. “Vitor, for some insane reason, believes he should get the fight with Weidman or Anderson Silva right now,” White said during the UFC on FOX 8 media scrum. “He’s out of his mind.”

Might you say he’s even raging, Dana? Might you? Yes…gooood. Goooood. 

Personally, I say we get behind this Vitor Belfort at heavyweight idea. Oh, you wouldn’t want to see Belfort and Junior Dos Santos slug it out until someone falls over? Go fuck yourself. And a fight with Roy Nelson? It would be the closest thing to Belfort/Ferrozzo II that we’re ever going to get, damn it. I say we roll the dice.

–J. Jones