Good morning!
For Lyoto Machida that sentiment rings most true, while for Vitor Belfort, it's probably the polar opposite. That's because it's Day 1 of Machida's camp to prepare for a Middleweight title fight against division champion Chris Weidman at UFC 173, which takes at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 24, 2014.
Belfort? He will start to figure out how to compete in mixed martial arts (MMA) without the support of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) on the heels of the landmark ruling Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) handed down yesterday to ban the treatment (read full details here).
"The Phenom" issued the following statement on "FOX Sports Live" shortly after his withdrawal from the main event was announced (read full details here):
"The Nevada State Athletic Commission recently altered its policy and no longer will permit testosterone use exemptions and will not permit a TRT program. As other jurisdictions may follow suit, I am going to drop my TRT program and compete in MMA without it. Given the time constraints involved between now and my proposed next bout in May, I have determined not to apply for a license to fight in Nevada at this time."
Meanwhile, Machida -- who has two wins under his 185-pound belt since making the 20-pound drop in Oct. 2013 -- is a more-than-eager replacement. With a knockout of Mark Munoz at UFC Fight Night 30, which he followed up with a unanimous decision over Gegard Mousasi at UFC Fight Night 36 earlier this, "The Dragon" was most likely thinking he needed another win or two to earn a championship opportunity.
At the very least, give his injured foot (read full update here) more than enough time to heal before getting back to the grind.
Not the case(s):
"I'm really excited for this opportunity to fight UFC Middleweight champion Chris Weidman. I'm going to train hard and be well prepared for this fight."
Weidman, too, is seemingly taking it all in stride. He will now have to adjust his strategy immensely because of the opponent switch -- Machida is often hard to find, while Belfort, typically, is not.
The good news is that Weidman has already been scouting "The Dragon" since the former Light Heavyweight champion made his Middleweight move.
"Machida is a dangerous fighter and he knows what it takes to become champion. He's been on my radar since he dropped to 185 so I'm looking forward to defending my title against him at UFC 173 in May."
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 173: "Weidman vs. Machida" fight card and rumors click here.
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