Tidigare i veckan läckte nyheten att den tilltänkta titelmatchen i mellanvikt mellan Chris Weidman och Vitor Belfort ställts in då Weidman återigen har råkat ut för en skada. UFC:s VD Dana White meddelade att organisationen hade frågat Belfort om han ville möta landsmannen Lyoto Machida istället på samma gala, UFC 184, men att Belfort tackat nej till den matchningen. Nu berättar Belfort varför han tackade nej till matchen.
På sin officiella Facebook-sida skriver Belfort att han enbart är intresserad av att gå titelmatcher, och då om ”riktiga” mästerskapsbälten då han inte är intresserad av interimbälten.
About the cancellation of my UFC 184 fight.
I would like to say that, as everyone else, I’m very disappointed with all this situation.
For exactly one year, I have seen my dream to make history in UFC with my 3rd world title in a different weight category postponed.
Here are some facts:
– UFC had to reschedule the middleweight world title content 3 times because of my opponent’s injuries (from May/14 to July/14- Weidman had a knee surgery, from December/14 to February/15 – Weidman had his hand broken, from February/15 to probably May/15- Weidman had his ribs hurt)
– MY FOCUS WAS ALWAYS THE MIDDLEWEIGHT BELT AND I CLIMBED THE LADDER TO ACHIEVE MY POSITION.
– This is why I won’t fight for an interim, but if UFC gives 8 weeks and the middleweight Belt available for dispute I fight with anyone from the ranking. Not for an Interin, But the Middleweight Belt!
– I’ve been in this sport for 19 years and I have never let UFC down.
– I accepted to fight for the Light Heavyweight Belt right after my sister got kidnapped and I still won the world championship.
– I offered myself to fight in the UFC 152 against Jon Jones with less than 8 weeks to prepare myself to the bout and I had exactly the same injury my opponent has now and still I stepped up to the fight.
I would like to thank UFC, the press and fans support, always.
Focused in the Middleweight Belt!
Sist Belfort gick match var i november 2013, där han besegrade Dan Henderson via knockout i den första ronden.
