When Vitor Belfort and Michael Bisping meet in the main event of UFC on FX 7, a lot will be on the line. Bisping is fighting for a title opportunity and has all but dismissed Belfort‘s chances of defeating him.
Both men will attempt to attack the other fighter’s weaknesses, but what are their strengths?
Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort owns some of the fastest hands in MMA history. But his hand speed hasn’t been flooring people lately as much as his pure punching power.
Even though his last fight was a loss, it showed a great deal about Belfort as a fighter.
Instead of relying on his main strength of punching prowess, Belfort pulled guard and attempted to use his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. He came within seconds of tapping Jon Jones and taking the light heavyweight title after stepping up on short notice.
Belfort may look to use his grappling skills once more against Bisping. The Brazilian would enjoy a significant advantage due to his jiu-jitsu skills, and in a five-round fight, points from takedowns could be key on the scorecards.
Even if Belfort looks to use his grappling, he will still rely on the strength of his striking. Bisping‘s chin has been questionable, and very few fighters hit harder than Belfort. The Brazilian knows he needs to land only one solid punch to have his hand raised in victory.
Michael Bisping
As a former kickboxer, Bisping loves to unleash a barrage of multiple strikes upon his opponent. Utilizing technique over strength, Bisping throws combinations at will.
Bisping will likely look to use his kickboxing to take out the legs of Belfort in this fight. Without a proper base, Belfort will be unable to land powerful punches or shoot for takedowns.
Bisping is a gamer and won’t be scared if the fight goes to the mat. Even though Belfort holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Bisping has never been tapped out. The British fighter has also only been knocked out once in his career by one of the hardest punchers in MMA history, Dan Henderson.
A durable fighter who loves to throw punches (and kicks) in bunches, Bisping will bring the fight to Belfort from bell to bell.
He’s not going to back down from the power of Belfort, which could lead to an impressive showing by Bisping or another highlight-reel KO for Belfort.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com