Vitor Belfort disposed of Dan Henderson in Sao Paulo Saturday night, and the 38-year-old already has his eyes set on another rematch.
At the post-fight press conference, Belfort said he has his eye on Luke Rockhold. The former light heavyweight champion told the media that Rockhold has been "disrespectful."
The two elite middleweights met in May 2013, when Belfort finished Rockhold in the first round with a highlight-reel spinning back-kick KO. It propelled Belfort to the front of the line for a shot at the middleweight title even though he would have one more fight before getting the title bid. The fight with Rockhold was not without controversy, however.
Belfort was still using TRT at the time, and he was slaying his opposition. If you looked at his physique from then and now, it is almost night and day. Rockhold has long claimed that Belfort has been cheating the game. He called him a fraud at the UFC 187 Q&A session and told Ariel Helwani (h/t Bloody Elbow) that Belfort was still cheating due to how his testosterone results fluctuated leading into UFC 187.
Rockhold is not a fan of Belfort, and that loss is clearly still eating at him. He responded promptly on Twitter that he, too, has his sights set on a rematch with the Brazilian.
Rockhold is scheduled to challenge for the UFC Middleweight Championship against Chris Weidman in December. He may want to focus on that fight before looking at the possible return date against Belfort, but it is still weighing on his mind.
Should Rockhold beat Weidman, Belfort won't be too far off from a title shot. The rematch between the two bitter rivals would help move the needle, but it would have to wait, as the winner of Yoel Romero vs. Jacare Souza will be next in line. If Weidman retains, an immediate Rockhold vs. Belfort fight will make a lot of sense.
No matter the result of the middleweight title showdown at UFC 194, Belfort and Rockhold seem to be on a collision course. It's only a matter of time before they step back inside the cage to settle things.
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