Phenom-enal: Machida declines to fight Jon Jones, Vitor Belfort steps in
Posted on August 24, 2012, 03:25 AM by Anton Gurevich
Jon Jones will not fight Lyoto Machida on September 29th.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the news with MMAfighting.com, also announcing that Vitor Belfort will step in as a replacement. According to the report, Machida turned down the title shot because he wants more time to prepare for his second encounter with Jon Jones.
Multi-time UFC champion Vitor Belfort was originally scheduled to face Alan Belcher at UFC 153 in a Middleweight contest, with sights on continuing his quest for another shot at Anderson Silva's title. Immediate title shot at 205 proved to be more appealing for Belfort, who will have one month to prepare for one of the top Pound-for-Pound fighters on the planet.
Interestingly enough, Dana White revealed that no other than Anderson "The Spider" Silva offered contact him in attempt to save the now-scrapped UFC 151 card in Las Vegas, Nevada. Silva admitted his not in the best shape to face someone of Jon Jones' caliber, but would still fight the reigning UFC Light Heavyweight champion on eight days' notice. However, Dana White explained Silva there's no way to resurrect UFC 151.
The closest Vitor Belfort got to Light Heavyweight in his second coming to the UFC was against Rich Franklin at UFC 103. Belfort TKO'd Franklin in what was a 195lbs Catchweight bout.
Stay tuned to LowKick.com for more UFC 152 news and card changes.
Comments
im not even a vitor fan but i wanna see him KO Jones!!!!
but this will not happen!
How crazy wud it be if vitor won that wud be hilarious... like the irony of Jones loosing anyways aaahh that wud be so amazing
keep dreaming hater
2nd that....
Obviously these posers dont have a clue...
judging by past performance such like against the spyder, Vitor got his backside handed to him. This is not silva....this is a 10yr younger athlete who has some skills even Anderson cant match. Keep Dreaming Haters is right....
apparently machida has no balls! i hope vitor goes in and smashes jones. someone has to bring jones back down the earth!
Let me give you a little recap, Anderson Silva called Dana about an hour after 151 was canceled, and offered to fight any LHW besides Jones to save the event. Both Rua, and Machida both declined to fight Jones at 152 on the 22nd, Jones said he would fight Rua, Machida or Sonnen on at 152, not sure what went down with Chael, they must have wanted to keep the fight with Forest since 151 got scrapped, and thats how we ended up with Vitor. So Jones said he would fight any of them just not on 8 days notice.
Very possible
I think Vitor has the tools to do it. Does anyone feel this is a tougher test than Hendo?
Maybe not as much as Dan but Vitor still has some of the best KO power in the sport, his hands are so much faster, not as good a wrestler but still great TDD, great speed coming in and out, can actually submit off his back (Hendo would be done if taken down).
Not a dis to Hendo but I think this is a more interesting fight, biggest question is Vitor's cardio though as we haven't seen him go deep in a LONG time
exactly what i was thinking. can not wait to see how jones copes with vitor`s speed, the silva fight was all to do with perfect timing from the champ throwing that front kick, i dont think jones has that!
You know he will not fool around striking with Vitor--he is going to take Vitor down--or at least try.
Vitor..the classiest guy in MMA. Also props for Anderson and Chael for showing Jone's true colours to the world.
What are we, just handing out triple digit sharps here? I was feeling special gosh darnit.
ok turns down Chael cause he had just moved up in weight and hadnt fought yet did deserve it but Vitor does isnt Belfort doing same thing 1st fight in this weight class...WTF and its two weeks later than the original
mannnn this all makes you look like a chump plus all the zine act or how ever it (fake) is started to come out with the stuff said about Chael b4 all this
anderson shouldve took this fight
It seems like Joe Silva the match maker is going through a mid life crisis...
The first event has been cancelled, fighters are turning down title shots, and champions are picking and choosing their opponents.
Rua is probably not even able to get a license as he was suspended for 90 days I think, but Machida did not even got hit. Props to Silva to step for a fight to save a card.
any light heavyweight but jones come on he duckin weidman this very minute
These are Mixed Martial Artists. They should be training ALL their skill sets every training camp. I still dont buy the "not ready for this guy" crap.
Man up Bones, you have skills but a weak mind IMO.
ya but, well, um, we uh.... hate jones so hes still a pussy whos scared to fight sonnen and should get kicked out of the ufc
imagine anderson wouldve steped in holy sh!t that would hav had the whole world rootin 4 anderson
WOW.... So Silva isnt stepping forward for anything of value..
I knew it from the get go...All these LHW are whimps...scared...Machida making excuses, Rua doesnt want to get killed again...Everyone who has any standing in that division is too chicken for some reason or another. Chael, Vitor and anyone else should not even be brought into the scenario since they havent fought anyone in the top 5 to desrve it.
Anderson Silva and Jon Jones are very close personal friends--they could never fight. I hear the Jones and Silva families get together for BBQs regularly.
Obviously this is bullsh*t.
Machida was smart to decline. One month is not enough time to prepare. He just had a fight so he has probably been taking it easy.
I agree. Machida already got choked out by Jones--he only has one more kick at the cat--or, erm...spider, as it were.
If Machida loses to Jones again--he becomes irrelevant at LHW. His career at LHW is over--except as a gatekeeper while Jones reigns.
It is literally the fight of his life--I would want to be fully prepared too.
If Jones should lose--big deal. He will get a rematch--and set up very exciting bouts. His career would probably skyrocket if he lost.
Isn't it funny how much hate Jones got for not fighting the unworthy Sonnen and now Machida gets praise for turning down a title shot? Jones deserves some hate but c'mon.... Feels like a little bit of a double standard to me.
hes on earth now and hes beating everyone on it lol
machida just fought. he wasn't expecting to be rushed back into training i dont blame him for not taking the fight. he took the jones fight the last time on short notice
The events of today really blow my mind. How many changes/cancellations/refusals can you see in one day.
And the bus on my street, that I usually take to work, was also cancelled. It's just freaky!
I don't believe that story for a second. If you're a frequent commentator on Lowkick, you are almost certainly unemployed.
Im on call 24 hrs a day 8))
yeah!!!! man, i was so pissed after hendo was out!!! but now one of my favorite fighters takes the title shot!!! war vitor!!!!
Jones lost budweiser for being a drunk! Now he's losing Nikie! Just do it! NOT hahaha
do you mean nike?
I would like a shot at this Nikie if Jones is done with her
Wait...Spider offered superfight and it didn't happen!! FML!
no, silva was telling dana vitor is not in shape for 8 day notice fight, but that vitor said he would do it anyway.
So he declines a fight with chael sonnen who's only threat was taking him down, but accepts a fight with a guy with dynamite in his hands? Neither of which deserve the shot in the first place but still....wtf.
Jones actually accepted Sonnen (and all the others) for the 22nd, just not next Saturday.
Stop making good point, this is a Jones hate thread
@highkik hahah that made my day
"Oh no, Im not ready for a guy from a smaller class whose mainly one dimensional;l" ....you guys are Jonzin for your Jones
Shut up poser.
Mistake on the description mate, it's September 22nd
Not too long ago i remember shogun giving jon jones a title shot on short notice when rashad got injured, he had no problem preparing for a new opponent on short notice then. I figure since the way the UFC been taking care of Jons he would want to return the favor and save an entire card.
Over a month's notice. Jones was also a top 5 LHW, and not coming off a TKO loss.
Ya, hes now taking a fight against vitor or machida on even less notice than he fought shogun. Favour repaid. You act like he fought Shogun on 4 days notice or something.
So I guess all those haters who ripped Jones for not fighting on 8 days notice must think much worse about Lyoto for not doing it on a month's notice, right?
Greg Jackson pointed out that there's no training in the last week before a fight, just cutting weight and doing media. This means Jones would have only got to train for 2-3 days.
If you think that's enough time to prepare for a fighter like Chael Sonnen, you don't know much about MMA.
And Shogun had 6 weeks to prepare for Jones, so if you think that's "short notice", not only do you nothing about MMA, you can't count.
He's been training for the past 7 or 8 weeks to fight in 8 days anyway right? It's not like he's out of shape and asked to fight Chael Sonnen for his belt. Aside from the southpaw stance, Chael brings a similar style as Hendo without the H bomb!
Wouldn't Chael have had the same number of days to prepare as Jones?
It's completely different. Jones is in shape and has been preparing for a wrestler anyway. This wrestler is less of a threat than the original because he lacks KO power. Machida has been sitting around relaxing. I agree that Jones had a legit reason (having thought about it) for not fighting Chael but that reasoning (legacy) seems to have backfired.
blind Jones hate is the only reason you're being weaked for saying this. And its getting old.
You better get used to it or leave bro.
According to Dana, Michael, Chael is far away from a title shot, which means he does NOT deserve one. Also, he wouldn't have anything to lose whatsoever if the fight were to happen. Based on that alone, you could have stepped up and accepted that fight.
Fricken Jones nut pullers. Pathetic.
I am 0 with you crane. I think Dana is being a ****head about this and it's the UFC's fault for putting together a shitty card that no one would buy if the main eventers weren't there. The best in the world should never be asked to fight on 8 days notice. Bad PR or not.
speak the truth, get weaked for not hating on jones...
A gangster, a dragon, a phenom and a spider walk into a bar....
And I am out of that bar...
Guess who else walks out? Bones
True. But he walks out with the belt.
And the bartender withdraws due to injury.
I hope the Pride Vitor shows up to this fight! Would love to see Jones get knocked out!
The early Ufc days Vitor would be even better.
You know you will get the current Vitor, which is:
"Come to Jesus' Fist!"
What a crazy day, and how crazy it would be if Vitor puts him to sleep, well, he has Hendo's power if not more and the speed to follow. Anyway Vitor has to bring the fight to Jon and punch him hard, before he gets on his back, c'mon Vitor make, you will make a lot of Jesus children happy.
Vitor is a legend he has fought a who's who's list
I'm a huge fan of Vitor but am afraid wrestles have beaten him in the past Tito, Hendo and Randy
If Vitor is to win he will have to land a bomb early Come on take his head off!
Look at all the middle-weights jumping ship instead of trying to unseed Anderson. Pathetic
This is a horrible call. I just dont think anybody wants to fight Jones so White is looking for any reputable/ppv drawing names to step up.
Watch us get a replay of Belfort-Couture two. Belfort throws a punch, it grazes Jones eyelid and splits it open, Jones loses by tko on a freak accident. Jones gets stitches on the eye and rematches Vitor after next year placing fights with Hendo/Machida/anybody actually deserving somewhat, on the back burner.
UFC 151 IS CANCELLED BECAUSE JONES IS SCARED TO FIGHT VITOR !
Im not saying your an idiot but making things up is an idiot thing to do
Hmm A hurt Dan,pass up Chael and no Machida= another guy who might have faster hands than all of them. Interesting.
Pass up Chael? Can you not read? You do understand he agreed to Sonnen at the 22nd right?
For 151 yea I was correct and I can read. STFU Exan you poser. Sick of your shiit as you are mine.
Good for you. The problem is I can actually back "my shit" with logic and facts. You just bitch.
I'm not tired of you though.
You didnt back up shiit with logic or facts. All you did was assume I wasnt referring to the original 151.
Im pretty sure any genius with an ISP can use a search engine you dork.
No I did, the fact would be Jon agreeing to fight Sonnen at UFC 152, which you did not mention (as it took away from your point about him "not fighting Sonnen"). Me saying "can you not read" was just needling you because I know it gets under your skin (which it did).
"All you did was assume I wasnt referring to the original 151."
No, I "assumed" you did no research on Jones agreeing to fight Chael at 152. Because if you did your post was nothing more than a troll drop on your part.
dork count 2!
Good, you admit to assuming!.....needling is not facts or logic.
I bet you could argue a point with yourself in the mirror for hours and still lose.
Ah, so you point out the times I was annoying you instead of the information that proved your earlier point was incompetence or trolling. Good call. Being douche is really your only option to keep this going.
Simply to disagree with you keeps it going ask everyone else who has read 20 feet of typing when you argue with others.
My last post was NOT pointing out times you annoyed me...matter of fact type what I just wrote in my last post that points out those times.
Your just getting pissy and are losing focus and making no sence. Reply if you want, Im done with your conceded azz.
Epic comments battle, Entity vs Evan right here guys. Check it.
Simply to disagree with me? No, being of an opinion that I actually care to contend with will have me actually put thought in to a rebuttal. This? This is just you throwing a tantrum because I called you out for dropping false information. Entity, you don't bring enough to the table for me to get pissy with you. You're knowledge of the game is limited to you calling other people who disagree with you nuthuggers, and jumping on the bandwagon of people who actually formulate their own opinion (see you riding codemaster's coat tails below). But "you're done with my conceded azz" so I' guessing this will be the end of it right?
So wheres all the Machida hate for turning down a title fight with 4x the notice Jones had??
Jones can afford a loss, Lyoto can't. If he loses to Jon again, he won't be fighting for the light-heavyweight title in a while. Jones will get a rematch in any scenario if he loses, even by round 1 KO. So there's a lot more at stake for Machida.
It's too bad Silva's offer wasn't to fight Jones. Dana may have been able to work some magic and un-scrap the event for that.
If Jones didn't fight Sonnen on short notice I doubt he would have fought Silva on short notice, although I guess I could be wrong.
OMFG. I pray...and I will keep praying that Vitor lights Jon up.
@fenomnx
...or turns his lights OUT!!!
Where are all Machida haters now? He refused to fight Rachad, now he turns down a title shot, which he didn't deserve in the first place? Granted, the UFC is a primarily a business, but I don't get this. Does Vitor really deserve a title shot at LHW? Why not call in Couture, for that matter? This only shows that the UFC is spreading thoo thin and there's really no legit contenders for Jones. I would have offered the fight to Gustaffson.
If Victor wins it will be one of the greatest career`s come back of all time....I am proud that he steped up.....if the old brawler monster shows up we might be in for one of the greatest moments in MMA.
Who is Victor?
Chael Sonnen said it best, "NIkey should change their slogan to Just Do Nothing,"
I just have to say that Vitor is awesome. He is always there when nobody wants to fight. He offered to fight fedor when Josh Barnet popped for steroids and hopefully he will knock out Jones!!!
In my opinion all of this just hurts the integrity of MMA. A true fighter will fight whoever, whenever, wherever.
jones has had a full training camp, and if he is so great then he should be ready to fight anyone in the UFC on 8 days notice.
Epic fail by Jones.
I dont whoever whenever where ever if it means someone that is not a legit contender. Like many of us said then we all could get a chance.
Jones is partly a victim of his own rapid success.
He ran through the top of the LHW division--now, since there are no worthy contenders left--he will have to fight less worthy contenders, move up to HW, or retire.
Waking up to see this is not something I would have ever expected
vitor btter show up he always get outa fights
anderson take the fight!!!!
mma is phucked up right now!!
Not really, just the UFC.
Wtf is happening to the UFC, this is easily the worst match up in modern UFC history. Vitor doesn't deserve a tile shot at 185 much MUCH less a shot at 205. This is so incredibly stupid my mind is totally blown.
If you really can't find a decent fight for the champ then don't have him fight, don't just make up a fight with some random guy from a different division.
+100
It's pretty clear to me that Dana/Zuffa wanted to prove a point with this match up. "You take the fights we give you".
Vitor is a former LHW champ. Except for his woeful performance against Silva--he has looked good for a while now.
Who else is there at LHW?
Most MW's are former LHWs who can make the cut to MW.
Vitor is a former LHW champ because of a fluke glove to the eyelid against Couture (which was rectified when Couture destroyed him in the third match). He's looked good at MW.
Why have him fight at all in a month if there is nobody besides Vitor available?
Because they have a business to run?
Because Jon Jones is the champion and is required to defend his title against anyone they throw at him at LHW?
Because there is a shortage of 'worthy' contenders since Jones demolished them?
Because they would have to steal a fighter from another card already planned?
Yes, they have a business to run with a card that already had a fight as a headliner. Also, why am I supposed to care about their business?
No, not required. He can turn down any fights he likes. Or else he would have fought Chael Sonnnen in a week.
Weidman was better, he wanted the fight. Machida and Shogun both wanted the fight (just not in a month). Why not have Jones-Machida 2 in December?
They wouldn't have to steal anybody if they just waited another two months and replaced another headliner with a Jones fight.
We agree very closely Codemaster....dont worry, theres one I know will argue until you fall a sleep though.
How bout create some "good will" with the fan base by putting Machida-Jones as a co-headliner on the New years card with Cain and JDS?
Reading these threads sometimes seems like swimming in a maelstrom of turds.
Bones a chump i always knew it
I hope Vitor smashes the crap outta that fool of Jones! get him Vitor! and if you win Machida will regret not taking the fight as he won't get that 2nd chance to fight Jones again,Lyoto barely broke a sweat against Bader,he shoulda taken the fight,props to Vitor!
Wow, i remeber the i saw vitor fight .. was tank abott or the other fat guy and then wandy and thought to my self he was meant for greatnes.., he of went of the picture but the with affliction he almost got fedor and i remember thinking this is it.. but never happend,.. then AS i really thougt he would knock him out ..but didnt (lol).... and.. NOW THIS! this ist! hes his time to shine. VITOR BY KNOCK OUT
Well he wanted to break Tito's record, it appears he has...Jones is now the all-time biggest douche to compete in the UFC.
A Vitor KO would be so poetic! Godspeed Vitor!
I am shocked with this debacle. Injury to Hendo, Champion declined to fight someone who did not deserve to be the next inline for a championship since he failed twice to win the middle weight belt. A challenger to decline a shot for the championship and a Man to step UP to the plate to fight someone bigger than he is. I did i cover everything? or is there more to this saga?
vitors speed is going to be huge in this fight but i would like him to make jones tap