Som tidigare rapporterat så ska Vitor Belfort ha tackat nej till att möta Lyoto Machida om en interim titelmatch med tanke på att Chris Weidman skadat sig inför deras möte på UFC 184. Belfort släpper nu ett uttalande via hans sociala medier där han förklarar sin syn på situationen.
Vitor Belfort förklarar i ett uttalande via hans Instagram kanal att han möter vem som helst om mellanviktstiteln men inte om interimtiteln. Hans motivation om varför han inte vill gå en interim titelmatch kan ni läsa nedan.
”About the cancellation of my UFC 184 fight. I would like to say that, as everyone else, I’m very disappointed with all this situation. For exactly one year, I have seen my dream to make history in UFC with my 3rd world title in a different weight category postponed.
Here are some facts:
– UFC had to reschedule the middleweight world title content 3 times because of my opponent’s injuries. (from May/14 to July/14- Weidman had a knee surgery, from December/14 to February/15 – Weidman had his hand broken, from February/15 to probably May/15- Weidman had his ribs hurt)
– MY FOCUS WAS ALWAYS THE MIDDLEWEIGHT BELT AND I CLIMBED THE LADDER TO ACHIEVE MY POSITION.
– This is why I won’t fight for an interim, but if UFC gives 8 weeks and the middleweight Belt available for dispute I fight with anyone from the ranking. Not for an Interim, But the Middleweight Belt! – I’ve been in this sport for 19 years and I have never let UFC down.
– I accepted to fight for the Light Heavyweight Belt right after the my sister got kidnapped and I still won the world championship.
– I offered myself to fight in the UFC 152 against Jon Jones with less than 8 weeks to prepare myself to the bout and I had exactly the same injury my opponent has now and still I stepped up to the fight. I would like to thank UFC, the press and fans support, always. Focused in the Middleweight Belt!”
UFC kommer med största sannolikhet inte ta titeln ifrån Chris Weidman så vi får nog vänta tills den matchen blir av. Annars har både Gegard Mousasi och Lyoto Machida varit öppna för en match mot Belfort.
