Retired Vitor Belfort teases return against multiple MMA legends

For now, former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort is retired.

After getting kicked in the face and knocked out cold by fellow Brazilian Lyoto Machida earlier this year at UFC 224, “Phenom” announced that he’ll be stepping away from mixed martial arts (MMA), but did leave the door open for a potential return.

While retirement has allowed Belfort to return to his “OG fighter” bod, the 41-year-old is already throwing out some hints that he could make his way back into the cage. Whether a return for Belfort comes under UFC rule or for another promotion, “Phenom” is open to running it back with multiple rivals.

Belfort asked fight fans who they’d like to see him fight next in the following Instagram post:

Out of the five names that Belfort mentioned, Wanderlei Silva is the only active fighter and he’s gearing up for a fourth encounter with Quinton Jackson this September in Bellator MMA. Former UFC light heavyweight champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz have been locked in contract talks for a trilogy fight of their own, former UFC middleweight titleholder Michael Bisping just hung his gloves up, and all-time great Dan Henderson has been retired for nearly two years.

Remember, Belfort holds three victories over Henderson (two via knockout) and individual knockout wins over Bisping and Silva. The Brazilian lost his only encounters with Liddell and Ortiz during his second UFC stint from 2002-2005.

While it’s likely that Belfort returns to fighting at some point in the future, we really don’t know for sure if any of these fighters will be available when he does. But if Oscar De La Hoya’s MMA promotion is a true landing spot for legends of the sport, it would be stupid not to include “The Phenom.”