UFC legend and former champion Vitor Belfort suffered a knee injury a week into his UFC 224 training camp for fellow Brazilian MMA legend Lyoto Machida.

Machida ultimately knocked Belfort out with a front head kick in the second round in front of a raucous Brazilian crowd.

Combate was the first to report the injury, which was so bad that several doctors suggested a Belfort pull out of the fight, but “The Phenom” refused to withdraw.

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The 41-year-old Belfort retired after his loss at UFC 224, and left his gloves in the cage to officially put an end to a career that spanned decades.

Does news of the injury change your opinion on his preparation and ability against Machida? Or is this an excuse to justify a possible comeback?

Matt McNulty
Matt McNulty is a writer & reporter for LowKick MMA. He has previously worked as a staff writer for BJPenn.com, a crime and MMA reporter for the New York Post, and also as a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News. McNulty has professionally covered MMA since 2013.