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Vitor Belfort is campaigning for his retirement fight to be against Michael Bisping.
The UFC is scheduled to return to London on March 17, and “The Phenom”, who recently had a middleweight bout against Uriah Hall cancelled during the UFC St. Louis official weigh-ins, is now targeting a rematch with “The Count”.
Belfort complained after UFC St. Louis that the UFC wasn’t willing to pay him his show money after the bout fell through, and the Brazilian sees the possibility of fighting in London as “a way to help me with all the camp expenses.”
”Bisping stop finding excuses,” Belfort wrote on his social media on Tuesday. “UFC had offered us Belfort vs. Bisping 2 and I said yes. I will fight you in your country. How about that? Let’s make an amazing show for all the fans around the the world and retire in great fashion.
“Thanks UFC and Dana White for finding a way to help me with all the camp expenses and offering me this great fight. I promise you and all my fans: on March 17th in London you all will see ‘The Phenom’ in the Octagon. I’m leaving it all in there!”
Bisping and Belfort fought for the first time five years ago, headlining UFC on FX 7 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and “The Phenom” won via second-round knockout. The Brazilian was on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) during that period, which has always been a topic of criticism for Bisping.
The potential rematch between the middleweight stars was first report by Combate on Sunday, but Bisping was quick to shut that idea down when speaking with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani later that day.
A report surfaced earlier today that Michael Bisping v Vitor Belfort is in the works for London in March. I asked @bisping if that was true. He said 100% not true. He also said, “I detest Vitor. Do not want to be associated with him in the slightest.”
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 14, 2018
Belfort hasn't fought since defeating Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision back in June, and has one fight left is his current deal with the UFC. Bisping, on the other hand, is looking to get back on track following back-to-back stoppage losses to Georges St-Pierre and Kelvin Gastelum.
UFC London takes place at the O2 Arena on March 17, and the company has yet to announce a main event for the Fight Night card.
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