Vitor Belfort was granted a conditional license to compete in Las Vegas, Nevada, last week during a successful hearing with Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
Immediately after, "The Phenom" was booked to take on Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion Chris Wiedman at UFC 181 on Dec. 6, 2014, in "Sin City." It's a fight that was scratched earlier this year because of Belfort's medical issues (details) with the now-banned testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) treatment.
After finally getting the green light to compete again, Belfort recently appeared on "The MMA Hour" to clarify to all of his haters and naysayers (including this one) once and for all that he was never cheating.
His words:
"You have to understand, even though I am a public figure, those are my personal things. Everybody deserves privacy, so I was just quiet with my privacy and dealing with my things. I was just getting off TRT. I was real with everyone on that. Some guys say, 'He was on steroids.' I wasn't on steroids, I was doing TRT. It wasn't an illegal substance in my body. I was cleared, everybody knew it, I opened all of my tests. I took tests every week to see my levels. So, I was clear, open and truthful. When you are true to yourself and don't try to cheat and beat the system; with Nevada, they have a system to do that. A lot of guys, they just talk. I deal with a true way to open up my personal things. I was on treatment. When you are on treatment, your ratios go outside and it became a big issue. I wasn't cheating at all. I was just dealing with these problems, I spent a lot of money in testing myself. So, it is what it is, it's gone, no more TRT and now it's TNT."
Belfort then proceeded to flex. Seriously.
As far as his 185-pound title fight against "All American," Belfort is more than confident he will defeat Weidman come fight night because at the end of the day, he's better than the champ in all areas. Still, Belfort says it's not about who's better, it's about who's firing on all cylinders on fight night.
He explains:
"He has great skills. I think, to be the world champion of UFC, he is not lucky, man. He mad his way there and he deserves respect. I respect him, but, nothing in my vision, I don't see anything else beside me winning that night. I'm confident in myself, I'm confident in my skills. I know I have everything in me to win and that's what I am going to do. I'm focused on my journey. I'm fighting on another dimension, I just have to see where I have to be better, I'm always improving and that's why I'm fighting on another dimension (I beat him) Everywhere. Remember, it's not that the better man wins, it's who plays better. I'm focused on playing better. I'm focused on myself. There is nothing to rely on pride, it's work ethic. I fight myself everyday to get better. Whoever steps in that cage, I will win, and that's how this sport has to be. You have to be confident. Not arrogant, just confident, and i am confident in me."
Furthermore, the confident Brazilian says fight fans, as well as his upcoming opponents, can expect the same knockout artist who has been tearing it up pre-TRT ban when he steps back in the the eight-walled cage.
Because as "The Phenom" declared, TRT doesn't teach you how to punch and kick properly, pointing to other former TRT users who didn't share his same success while they were on the controversial treatment.
Valid point, but Belfort has yet to compete without it.