Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva exchange provocations before rematch and guarantee: 'It's not an exhibition'

Vitor belfort e Wanderlei Silva face each other in a boxing match (Photo: Montage/SUPER LUTAS)

PUBLICITY:

One of the most anticipated rematches in combat sports has been a long time coming, but it will happen. On September 27th, Vitor belfort e Wanderlei Silva are leading the second edition of 'Spaten Fight Night' in São Paulo and will face each other again, this time in boxing. With about two months to go until the event, the rivals have already been spicing up the fight with plenty of provocation.

In an interview with the TV Globo program 'Fantástico', Belfort and Wanderlei heated up the atmosphere for the rematch, which takes place 27 years after the 'Phenomenon's' iconic lightning knockout of the 'Mad Dog', at UFC Brazil, in 1998.

See too

Borrachinha changes his story and claims that the 'shaking' at the UFC 318 press conference was caused by 'legal injections'

Charles of the Bronx pays tribute to Dustin Poirier after his farewell fight at UFC 318

"I'm stuck in this fight. 'Oh, are you stuck?' You are! You're not, I'm not going to say you aren't, because you are. And now it's my turn. I've already felt his hand. But now he's going to feel mine," Wanderlei promised.

Vitor Belfort assures that the rematch is not an exhibition fight

The rematch between Vitor belfort e Wanderlei Silva will be officially regulated by the National Boxing Council as a 'special fight', with eight rounds of two minutes each, as anticipated by 'Ag Fight'.

If in the first edition of Spaten Fight Night, held in June 2024, it was more than clear that the duel between Anderson Silva e Chael Sonnen it was an exhibition fight, Vitor belfort makes a point of ensuring that this is not the case in its confrontation with Wanderlei Silva.

"I want to clarify something very important: this fight is not an exhibition. I made a point of including a bonus for a knockout. So... I know last time was an exhibition, this time the fight is real, very real," promised the 'Phenomenon'.

The rematch between Vitor belfort e Wanderlei Silva will happen after 27 years, but it came close to happening much earlier, more specifically in 2012, when the two rivals led an edition of the reality show 'The Ultimate Fighter Brazil' and were supposed to face each other at the end of the season. However, the 'Phenomenon' ended up injuring his hand and was replaced by Rich Franklin.

"You have to ask him, because the other fight we were supposed to do, I was there, I fought. When I schedule a fight, I do it. I don't run, I don't say I broke my hand, that's not the case with me, you know? He said he got hurt in that rematch that was supposed to be on TUF. I don't believe it. I believe he wasn't hurt; I think he was actually scared, but now the time has come for us to face each other," he teased.