At UFC on FX 8, Vitor Belfort put himself in the front of the line for a shot at the winner of an upcoming middleweight title fight between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman.
In welcoming former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold to the Octagon, Belfort landed a spinning heel kick that led to a first-round knockout win. After finishing Michael Bisping in January, the victory was Belfort’s second in a row that resulted from a kick to his opponent’s head.
Both Bisping and Rockhold were likely to be named top contenders in the 185-pound class had they beaten Belfort. After halting both of those rising fighters, it will be tough for the UFC brass to deny Belfort another chance to battle for the middleweight crown.
With another UFC event in the books, let’s take a look at the report cards for the main card competitors.