Vitor belfort and family, pose next to the bust. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Former UFC champion Vitor belfort, was honored by his former coach Rodrigo Artilheiro with a bust. The artist and longtime friend of the fighter sculpted the gift for about a week and made sure to deliver it personally to Belfort's family home, in Florida (USA).
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Rodrigo, who was one of the coaches of Belfort's team in the first edition of TUF (The ultimate fighter) Brazil, spoke to sItem from the 'Combate' channel about the process of creating the work, the reaction of Belfort's family and how the fact of knowing the athlete for many years helped him with the tribute.
“I was very happy, his family was also 'devastated'. Vitor has strong features, which can be exaggerated in clay. This is the secret of sculpture. When you identify the features that everyone sees, like the nose, the jaw, the strong neck, the penetrating gaze, the big chin. It's his main expression. I've known him for many years, so I didn't have much difficulty. I put my emotion and his emotion. The biggest difficulty is when you don’t know the person”, declared Rodrigo
Belfort and his family posed for a photo next to the gift, and the veteran made a point of thanking his partner for the honor.
“I would like to thank my friend and training partner in Las Vegas, Rodrigo Artilheiro, for this very special honor. My family and I are very happy. This sculpture will have a special place”, wrote the former UFC champion.
Rodrigo Artilheiro currently works as a sculptor and has also paid tribute to Hélio Gracie, patriarch of the family that spread jiu-jitsu in Brazil, as well as other personalities.
Vítor Belfort is currently 43 years old and has not fought since May 2018, when he was defeated by Lyoto Machida at UFC 224. Since 2019, the Rio native has been under contract with ONE Championship, however, the veteran continues to look for an opponent for his debut.
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