Fighter Profile: Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort

Overall Record: 20-9

UFC Record: 9-5

Height: 6’0’’ Weight: 185 lbs

Born: 04-01-1977

MMA Gym: Xtreme Couture

Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort is a professional mixed martial artist specializing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo. Belfort holds the record for the youngest person to win a UFC tournament.

At just 19 years old, Belfort made his way to the United States to compete in an event called Superbrawl in Hawaii. He faced Jon Hess, who he knocked out in just 12 seconds. Belfort next joined the UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament and won with wins over Tra Telligman, and Scott Ferrozzo, both by way of knockout.

Belfort bounced between fights in Japan’s PRIDE organization, and the UFC for several years until PRIDE dissolved in 2007. In his run with the promotion, he recorded notable wins over Heath Herring, Gilbert Yvel and tough losses to Dan Henderson and Alistar Overeem. He has fought in almost every major Mixed Martial Arts promotion, such as the UFC, Strikeforce, PRIDE, Cage Rage and he even had a short run with Affliction’s MMA promotion.

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Belfort is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, defeating Randy Couture for the belt in 2004. He failed to defend it in their immediate rematch, just seven months later. With a suspension due to banned substances, he was unable to compete in the UFC, so he moved back to a promotion in which he had fought before, Cage Rage. Belfort captured the Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Championship in 2007 with a win over James Zikic, but never defended the belt because the promotion went bankrupt.

After a short stint with Affliction, and with his suspension over, he returned to the UFC to fight Rich Franklin, and put his four-fight win streak on the line. He defeated Franklin with a knockout in the first round, and earned Knockout of the Night honors. With the win over Franklin, he was given the chance to fight for the UFC Middleweight Title. He was defeated by Anderson Silva in stunning fashion, as Silva delivered a swift front kick to Belfort’s jaw that knocked him unconscious. Belfort bounced back with a win over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 133 in August, and earned his second Knockout of the Night bonus.

By Steve Cassidy
Profighting-fans.com Staff Writer