Vitor Belfort’s team clarifies ‘The Phenom’ ‘will keep fighting’ despite confusing Instagram post

Vitor Belfort did not announce his retirement on Saturday afternoon. Or did he?

The longtime UFC veteran posted a lengthy message on his Instagram, saying he wanted to "burn that fire again," but also "end this chapter" of his life. Many fans thought "The Phenom" was announcing his retirement, but MMA Fighting has confirmed with his team that he has no intentions to leave the sport now.

"Vitor will keep fighting," Belfort’s wife and manager, Joana Belfort, said on Monday.

Belfort (25-13), a former UFC light heavyweight champion and UFC tournament winner, lost back-to-back fights for the first time in over a decade in 2016, losing to Gegard Mousasi and Ronaldo Souza.

Belfort, who has lost three title fights since returning to the UFC in 2009, is 7-2 in non-championship bouts, and currently sits at No. 9 in the middleweight ranking.

Quem não conhecesse os seus erros não é digno de liderar a si mesmo, quanto mais as pessoas que o cercam. Reconheço que não sou perfeito, sou somente HUMANO , um SER HUMANO. O poeta já escreveu : " - que o amor seja eterno enquanto dure." Esse é um belíssimo trecho de um poema. Porém eu o considero ingênuo. Com todo carinho e respeito ao poeta, peço permissão para reescrevê-lo da seguinte maneira: " - QUE O AMOR SEJA ETERNO ENQUANTO SEJA CULTIVADO." Confesso que preciso cultivar meu desejo pela competição dentro do octógono. Sei que tenho que zelar por aquela chama que sempre ardeu em mim. Tendo conhecimento pleno disso: " - DECIDI QUE CUSTE O QUE CUSTAR VOU REACENDER MAIS UMA VEZ ESSA CHAMA." Muito obrigado pelo carinho e apoio. Vou finalizar esse capítulo na minha vida, olhando no espelho e reconhecendo a mim mesmo. Who does not recognize your own mistakes it is not worthy to lead yourself, even less the people around him. I recognize that I am far from perfect, I am only human; a human being. Once a poet in Brazil wrote: " - may love be eternal while it lasts. It is a beautiful fragment of a poem, but a truly consider it naive. If I may and with all do respect, I would re write it like this: " - may love be eternal while we nurture it." I confess that I need to nurture my competitive will inside the Octagon. I must cherish that fire inside of me again. Having recognized that to myself; I DECIDED TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BURN THAT FLAME AGAIN! Thanks a lot for all the support and advices. But I decided that I will end this chapter of my life looking at the mirror and recognizing myself. @mundoboxing

Uma foto publicada por Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (@vitorbelfort) em Out 15, 2016 às 1:01 PDT