The UFC 187 fight card is stacked to the brim with potential headline-makers, led by Anthony “Rumble” Johnson’s battle against Daniel Cormier for the vacant light heavyweight title.
Although Jon Jones was stripped of the belt and suspended for his part in a hit-and-run incident, reported by Fox Sports Live (h/t Mike Bohn and Matt Erickson of MMA Junkie), Saturday’s Las Vegas show promises to be one of the UFC’s most explosive events of the year.
Vitor Belfort‘s return against middleweight champion Chris Weidman is a main event-standard bout in itself, proceeding the enticing matchup between Donald Cerrone and John Makdessi.
In fact, the night is packed with so much quality that John Dodson—one of the organization’s most entertaining brawlers—only received a prelim bout against Zach Makovsky. He’ll lead the way into the main card, however, and should be considered a genuine candidate for one of the Performances of the Night.
Clash of Styles to Make Belfort-Weidman Fight of the Night
There are few situations more dangerous in the UFC than facing a fired-up Belfort. His clash with Weidman was originally scheduled for UFC 173, meaning he has waited an extra year to get a shot at Anderson Silva’s slayer.
This battle has been a long time coming. The Nevada State Athletic Commission’s decision to ban testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) impacted Belfort‘s plans last year, meaning he needed time to adjust to training and working without it.
As reported by Jesse Holland of MMA Mania, Belfort‘s 2012 batch of TRT was followed by him beating Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson via head kick.
The big question for UFC 187, then, is whether he will remain as lethal since TRT was banned. Belfort‘s explosive, animalistic fighting style is one of the hardest to contain in the sport, particularly if he finds his range in the opening exchanges. It would be disappointing to see major shortcomings on his return.
Bisping expects the lack of TRT to significantly impact Belfort‘s chances, per MMA Junkie:
Belfort has the capacity to suffocate opponents’ rhythm by swamping forward, swallowing up their game plan and hopes of victory with a flurry of lethal blows. Yet, against Weidman, he’ll need to be far more considered.
One of Weidman‘s underrated strengths is his ability to observe. He remains concentrated, adaptable and ready to exploit weaknesses when the opportunity arises. It’s no coincidence his wins against Silva came after 1:18 and 1:16 of the second round, respectively, per ESPN. He took the time needed to fully comprehend Spider’s strategy, formulate a way around it and then put the execution into action.
Belfort is likely to offer a more high-energy threat when compared to Silva’s laid-back aggressiveness. Weidman hasn’t fought since his July 5, 2014, win over Lyoto Machida, but the All-American isn’t as reliant on quick bursts of excessive force like Belfort. As such, Octagon-rust is more likely to impact The Phenom.
Kammakaze TV recently provided the view of multiple UFC fighters on the upcoming contest:
Only Jones, Silva, Henderson and Alistair Overeem have beaten Belfort in the last nine years. Despite significant changes to his training regime, the Brazilian is not someone who can be counted out against the best. His natural aggression has the capacity to upset Weidman‘s calm, particularly if he can get in close and unleash a range of damaging shots.
Watching Weidman adapt to Belfort‘s urgency will be fascinating. A thoughtful champion is often the most brutal in the pivotal moments, something Weidman will be confident of highlighting during Saturday’s bout.
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