V. Belfort complained about the focus of the associations (PHOTO: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)
One of the pioneers of MMA, the middleweight Vitor belfort aims to help implement changes in sport. However, the Brazilian does not think that the fighter associations created recently by names like Georges St Pierre e Donald Cerrone have the right focus. For the eternal “Phenomenon”, these organizations focus on criticizing events, rather than seeking improvements for athletes.
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“I'm a smart guy, and the smartest thing in the world is not to go into something if you don't know who the leader is and what his motivations are. I don't think the associations have to go against the UFC, we have to work together. We need to understand that, just as we fight for our rights, they also fight for theirs. We need a union, fighters need to understand this. There are unions for everything, even prostitutes and nothing for fighters?”, asked the Brazilian in an interview with the North American website MMA Fighting.
Belfort also discussed some of the changes he would like to make to MMA, from rules to sponsorship issues. The former UFC light heavyweight champion is a big critic of Ultimate's deal with Reebok and, of course, one of his wishes is for the fighters' individual sponsors to return.
“I think we need health insurance for fighters, they should also allow a sponsor for each fighter, like they do in tennis, for example. They should make a league of legends, bring back fighters that fans love. And also ban elbows, so that there is no blood. Big companies want to be associated with fights that aren’t bloody,” he explained.
Belfort comes from two consecutive defeats, against Ronaldo Jacare e Gegard Mousasi. Your next fight is against the promise Kelvin Gastelum, in the main fight of UFC Fortaleza, which takes place on March 11th.
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