The term “bad blood” goes a long way in describing one of Saturday’s most anticipated bouts at UFC 187 when Chris Weidman steps in the Octagon with Vitor Belfort.
This one has been on the minds of fight fans everywhere for quite a long time after delays, suspensions and more pushed back the dance, so there’s plenty to cover when it comes to pre-fight talk and analysis.
These two don’t like each other and one of the most prestigious straps in the promotion is up for grabs, so let’s take a look at recent chatter and more surrounding the fight.
Weigh-in Info and Comments
It’s best to just group these two together because, well, the weigh-in wasn’t of the normal variety.
These two have wanted to step in the Octagon for a long time, so it was only right the weigh-in was a spectacle. Weidman, who continues to earn his place as the top fighter in the sport, didn’t pull any verbal punches at the event.
There, he accused Belfort, who has his known suspension issues in the past, of cheating.
“I’m going to make him pay for it,” Weidman said, per ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto. “Cheaters never prosper. I’m going to make that little saying stick.”
Folks will recall the original bout, scheduled for one year ago, hit the shelf after Belfort tested positive for high testosterone levels. Okamoto pointed out on Twitter some of the pertinent details surrounding Belfort before the weigh-in:
For his part, Belfort remains positive in the face of lengthy delays surrounding the fight, and in a recent media call he pointed out he’s blessed to be in contention at the age of 38, as Mike Sloan of Sherdog.com captures:
“I’ve just been training and keeping my mind focused on what I can do. I wasn’t worried about what I couldn’t do and I’ve been evolving every day. It’s all about perspective [taking negative and turning it into a positive]. I’m blessed. How many guys from my era are still around?”
In short, the recent chatter is what one would come to expect from both after such a long buildup. Weidman touts a chip on his shoulder as he still pushes for global respect as champ and Belfort brings with him much of the same through adversity.
Oh, and in case anyone missed it in the chaos, both weighed in where they need to be.
Prediction
It’s easy to forget amid all the drama what a force the 38-year-old Brazilian star is each time he steps into the Octagon.
Since 2007, Belfort’s only losses came at the hands of Anderson Silva and Jon Jones, while his recent three-win streak features major triumphs against Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson.
At the same time, though, it’s hard to know which Belfort takes the Octagon at UFC 187. He’s a dominant striker and holds an advantage in that area against Weidman, but it’s impossible to know how the lengthy layoff will affect his performance.
Weidman, quietly, has been impressive.
He now features two wins against Silva, and while Belfort was dealing with out-of-ring issues, he even put on a Fight of the Year candidate in a unanimous-decision triumph against Lyoto Machida, silencing critics who consider his wins against Silva flukes.
The champ holds a distinct advantage over his opponent in the Octagon Saturday. Weidman’s an elite grappler in every sense of the description and averages a 3.69 takedown average over at UFC.com.
On the flip side, Belfort’s never been a force on the mat and only defends 51 percent of the takedowns that come his way. Barring an epic knockout blow by Belfort early, look for the technically superior Weidman to retain his strap via submission.
Stats and information via UFC.com unless otherwise specified.
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