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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Last September, Vitor Belfort got a chance to jump up in weight to fight UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones on short notice. He was the beneficiary of a mangled set of circumstances that led to one event's cancellation, but nevertheless, he stepped up and got that fight.
Not only did he get that fight, he nearly won, catching Jones in an armbar in the first round that damaged the 25-year-old Champion. Though he would go on to lose in the fourth round of that fight in a submission himself, that moment of success in the first round has Belfort believing things could be different in a rematch.
So after defeating Michael Bisping by TKO on Saturday night at UFC on FX 7 following an excellent head kick, Belfort immediately called Jones out, and asked that the UFC put him in instead of Chael Sonnen. At the post-fight press conference, he reiterated his desire for that rematch, and made a case for why he believed he should get the fight.
"I just told you what I want: I want to fight Jon Jones," Belfort said at the post-fight news conference (via MMAJunkie.com). "That's something that I want to do. There are many other strong guys in this division and many other divisions, and I don't get to decide this alone. The decision to fight Jon Jones isn't mine or my camp's. ... I've already told you what challenge I want, and it's up to the UFC now.
"Right now, I'm at a very, very good stage, and I'm feeling so well to be able to fight Jon Jones."
The UFC isn't feeling up to obliging Belfort, and UFC President Dana White - via text message to UFC managing director of international development Marshall Zelaznik - said that Belfort's not in title contention at either weight class just yet.
"The thinking is, now that Vitor is at middleweight again, and the way he lost to Anderson, he needs to win another couple fights to get back in contention," Zelaznik said what White relayed. "But you know how things shake out in the UFC, so he's done himself justice tonight."
Still, despite that seeming setback, Belfort continued to express how much he wants the fight with Jones, and said he believes it's a fight that needs to happen.
"I think it's very important for us to not fear challenges," Belfort said. "I think we need to see this rematch [with Jones], and this is a rematch I would love to do."
Penick's Analysis: The problem Belfort faces is the fact that he was beat decisively by the Champions in the two weight classes he frequents. The Jones rematch is even further away than the Anderson Silva fight, because Jones has a number of other names lining up that he hasn't fought, and of those he has, Belfort's at the bottom of the list for a rematch. It's just not realistic, despite having more success than anyone else against Jones. He's got a much better shot at getting Anderson Silva again depending on how things shake out with the rest of the UFC's middleweights, though he still may need a fight or two to get there. What he did on Saturday was impressive, but he's simply delusional if he thinks the UFC is putting him in with Jones anytime remotely soon.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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