Vitor Belfort attends the Spaten Fight Night press conference. Photo: William Lucas/Inovafoto
Vitor Belfort did not hide his sadness at the way Spaten Fight Night 2 ended, held this Saturday (27). The duel between Wanderlei Silva and Acelino Popó , scheduled to replace the phenomenon, ended in a general brawl after 'Mad Dog' delivered a sequence of illegal blows and was disqualified.
In a video published by journalist Matheus Simoni on 'X', Belfort expressed his disappointment with what happened and stated that Wanderlei Silva tarnished the image of martial arts on national television.
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"When we're at our worst, it reveals who we are; and when we're at our best, it reveals our hearts. What makes me sad is that it reveals who they've always been. Wanderlei, I'm sorry, you did something wrong. You literally destroyed something we built over years. Martial arts are about respect. You were fighting an excellent boxer; you shouldn't even have gotten into the ring with him. The guy got in with you at the last minute, and you do something like that," said Belfort.
Despite his disappointment with Wanderlei's attitude, the former UFC champion heaped praise on Acelino Popó , highlighting the boxer's patience during the fight, even in the face of his opponent's illegal blows. However, in the end, he reiterated his sadness and pointed out that Wanderlei Silva needs to apologize.
“Popó, I want to congratulate you on the patience you had during those rounds. But it’s sad because people admire this garbage. I saw people shouting. Man, this is a sport: on the day you have to lose, you lose; and on the day you have to win, you win. What saddens me is that the whole of Brazil saw this shame. Wanderlei, you have to apologize, brother, because what you did wasn’t right,” concluded Vitor Belfort.
Vitor Belfort , who was supposed to face Wanderlei but got injured, was also at the event. He spoke very highly of Popó, in fact. He spoke extremely highly of him! pic.twitter.com/gxkIkrzzSn
— Matheus Simoni (@teusimoni) September 28, 2025
Wanderlei Silva hospitalized after being knocked out in a fight
Wanderlei Silva had to be hospitalized to treat injuries resulting from the brutal knockout he suffered during the brawl at Spaten Fight Night 2. The 'Mad Dog' was knocked unconscious after being punched by a member of Acelino Popó Freitas ' team and was rushed to São Luiz Hospital in the southern part of São Paulo.
According to Combate's investigation, the veteran's manager stated that he was only given medical attention as a precaution, and that he is already well and conscious. At 49 years old, Wanderlei Silva has been knocked out seven times in MMA throughout more than 50 professional fights.
Simply the biggest brawl ever after the Popó vs. Wanderlei Silva fight.
What madness! pic.twitter.com/heV17G0uLN
— Central do Braga (@CentralDoBrega) September 28, 2025
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Read More about: Acelino Popó Freitas, Spaten Fight Night 2, Vitor belfort, Wanderlei Silva
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