Coming up this weekend, Middleweight champion Chris Weidman will face Anderson Silva in a highly anticipated rematch for the title at UFC 168. Weidman snatched the crown from Silva back at UFC 162 with a shocking second round KO. Aside from who will leave with the strap, one of the biggest questions heading into the fight has been who will face the winner.
As he did following UFC Fight Night 32, UFC president Dana White maintains that Vitor Belfort will be getting the next opportunity at 185 lb. gold. From MMA Junkie:
“On Saturday night, if Chris Weidman wins or Anderson Silva wins, the next massive, huge fight that everyone wants to see is Vitor Belfort,” White said. “That’s what everybody wants to see.”
Whether or not this is truly the bout “everyone” wants to see is debatable. However, Belfort has definitely made a strong case for contendership. In his first fight of 2013, he knocked out Michael Bisping early in round two. He followed that up in the spring with a spinning head kick KO of Luke Rockhold in round one. Finally, in November at the aforementioned Fight Night 32, Belfort became the first fighter to finish veteran Dan Henderson by strikes, though that fight took place at Light Heavyweight.
Assuming Belfort does get the next shot, he’ll have to wait until Saturday December 28 to see the UFC 168 main event and find out who he’ll be facing. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV with Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate fighting for the women’s Bantamweight title in the co-main event.