L. Machida (photo) also sees Weidman in a position to fight on the feet with Vitor. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC
Vitor belfort He is recognized as one of the most explosive athletes in MMA, which means that all of his victories by knockout or submission happened in the first or second round. Observing the history of his compatriot, the former light heavyweight champion and former middleweight title challenger Lyoto Machida analyzed the duel between Vitor and Chris Weidman for the middleweight belt at UFC 181 and pointed out the initial stretch of the fight as the period of greatest chances for the “Phenomenon”.
“I think Vitor has a better chance in the first round and in the first half of the second, because of his characteristics. But after that, I think Weidman's chances are better than his”, said Machida, who preferred not to risk a guess for the duel, in an interview with the “MMA Fighting” website. “It’s a good fight for both of us. Both have a chance. We cannot underestimate any of them. Weidman has evolved a lot, he has a big heart. Vitor is super talented, he has also evolved a lot and is an athlete who always works hard. When you have a fight this close, it’s difficult to predict a result,” he added.
Defeated by Weidman in his last title defense, on July 5th, Lyoto also stated that, despite Belfort's striking credentials, the American is capable of keeping the fight standing. “I don't think so (that Weidman has to take down to win). He is ready to fight anywhere. If he has to fight standing up, he will. Vitor, obviously, can land a punch and end the fight, and that's what makes this sport so captivating, but I think Weidman will be ready to fight him there”, he predicted.
On December 6th, at Mandalay Bay, in Las Vegas (USA), Vitor belfort challenges Chris Weidman for the middleweight belt in the main fight of UFC 181. In the main event of the night, the lightweight champion Anthony Pettis puts his title on the line for the first time against challenger Gilbert Melendez. The fight also marks the duel between the coaches of the 20th edition of the reality show The Ultimate Fighter.
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