Dana White Confirms Vitor Belfort Shot Down Lyoto Machida Title Fight
Vitor Belfort wants an interim UFC middleweight title shot. Or wait a minute, maybe he doesn’t.
UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman on Friday had to pull out of his next title defense due to injury. He was supposed to put his belt on the line against Belfort at UFC 184 on Feb. 28 in Los Angeles. A rib injury suffered earlier this week in training derailed him.
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Following Saturday night’s UFC 183, company president Dana White said that after Weidman dropped out, Belfort and his wife, who also serves as his manager, had been “blowing up his phone” asking for a interim title fight.
White said he offered Belfort what he wanted, but that he then had a change of heart.
“Vitor Belfort and his wife are blowing me up, asking for an interim title fight,” White recounted on the UFC 183 Postfight Show on FOX Sports 1.
“I pulled together this fight. I called Lyoto Machida; Lyoto Machida said, ‘send me the bout agreement.’ Called Vitor back; he didn’t think that was a great idea. So he’s gonna wait.”
White said he was surprised at Belfort’s reaction in turning down the Machida fight, but he hasn’t given up hope of keeping him on the UFC 184 fight card yet.
“We’ve got another fight we’re offering him right now,” he added.
White didn’t reveal what fight was being offered or whether or not it was still going to be for an interim title, but Gegard Mousasi did offer his services earlier in the day, saying he’d gladly step in to keep Belfort on the card.
