Vitor Belfort has an idea for legends of UFC to keep fighting and stay relevant

With one fight left on UFC deal, Vitor Belfort has idea to extend his fighting career

With one fight left on his contract following Saturday’s first-round knockout loss to Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night in Fortaleza, Brazil, Vitor Belfort has come to terms with the fact that his days as an elite fighter are behind him. 

Belfort (25-14), who turns 40 in April, has lost three of his last four bouts, all by knockout. At the postfight news conference on Saturday, he talked about hopes for a final fight in his native Rio de Janeiro on June 3 at UFC 212, preferably against a non-Brazilian opponent.

But while Belfort, who celebrated the 20th anniversary last month of his UFC debut, acknowledges he can longer compete with prime, youthful opponents like the 25-year-old Gastelum, that doesn’t mean he’s through with competing altogether. 

The solution? Belfort has proposed an idea for a UFC legends division.   

“From my era there is no one left, I know how hard that can be,” Belfort said. “It’s not easy. Training is very tiring. I’m sure that if this league was created in the UFC it would be something that would revolutionize the MMA market. With that, you would be able to see a little bit more of Vitor Belfort.” 

The rules of the division per Belfort’s vision look like this: Three-minute rounds with 90 seconds of rest in between. No elbows or knees. Fighting on the ground would be limited to 30 seconds at a time.  

“You guys would be more entertained,” Belfort said. “There would be more advertisement space and I think around the world it would sell. It’s something that is missing, it’s lacking. You can create new idols with the new guys coming up.” 

Belfort’s plan also includes three weight classes -- light, medium and heavy -- and championships for each one. 

“We miss seeing certain athletes, but five rounds and fighting for the belt and this youth coming up, it’s not as easy for us to train,” Belfort said. “Training is what sacrifices. I see that in my body. 

“I’m sure that I represent [other legends.] I know that if we had this division, many fighters [would] come up to me and say, ‘What a great idea.’ When you are retired, you have an extra job. I think this division is ready.”