Lyoto (left) and Jacaré (right) are two of the big names in the middleweight division. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS Production (Disclosure/UFC)
the posture of Vitor belfort in relation to UFC 184, it displeased the managers of two of the highest ranked athletes in the middleweight division. Ed Soares and Gilbert Faria, responsible, respectively, for the careers of Lyoto Machida e Ronaldo Jacare, criticized the recent decisions taken by “Fenômeno”, which should be removed from the card of the event on February 28, in Los Angeles (USA).
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On this day, Belfort would face Chris Weidman for the UFC middleweight belt, in the main attraction of the night. However, the champion was injured and will not be able to participate in the fight. Belfort was then offered the chance to fight for the interim belt, which the Brazilian fighter refused.
UFC president, Dana White, revealed that it was Belfort himself who asked for an interim title fight, but, as soon as he was offered a fight against Machida, he refused. Belfort's wife and businesswoman, Joana Prado, said that she was planning a fight against Yoel romero for the interim belt.
Lyoto's manager, Ed Soares, gave his version of the case in an interview with the podcast “The MMA Hour”. “Dana called me and asked if Lyoto would be interested in facing Vitor belfort on February 28th. I asked Lyoto and he didn't even let me finish the sentence, already saying 'yes, send me the fight contract'. Dana said it was great and that she would check with Vitor. About 15 minutes later, Dana called me, irritated, saying that Vitor didn't want to accept the fight, because he hadn't trained to face a southpaw. Shortly after, I sent a message to Dana saying that Lyoto would start every round with a right-handed base, and he laughed. Lyoto wanted that fight, but it’s not going to happen,” he explained.
Soares recalled an old criticism made by Belfort to Machida, when the former accepted at the last minute a fight against Jon Jones, in 2012, shortly after the second's refusal. “As a real Brazilian, as the anthem says, you will see that your son does not run away from the fight”, said Belfort, at the time. The businessman replied: “There is no rivalry, no animosity [between Belfort and Lyoto], but when Lyoto refused to face Jon Jones at the last minute, Vitor criticized, citing the part of the anthem and insinuating that Lyoto was running. This angered him. Now, Lyoto asked: 'What is happening to the country's son? Is he running away from the fight?’ he said.
Gilbert Faria, Jacaré's agent, also disagreed with Belfort's stance. “With Weidman's injury and the fact that we don't know when he will return, it is the right decision to create the interim belt. If Vitor doesn't want to fight or wants to choose opponents, he loses his right to fight for the title. Belfort is choosing opponents and that's not what champions do. It's wrong. It is also wrong to leave the entire division on standby,” he fired.
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