In 2015, Vitor Belfort pursued what would have been UFC's first triple championship at UFC 187, even releasing commemorative T-shirts before his middleweight title fight against Chris Weidman. Despite entering on a strong run that included finishes of Anthony Johnson, Luke Rockhold, Michael Bisping, and Dan Henderson, Belfort was stopped by Weidman. Now, at the same age of 38, Alex Pereira is attempting to become only the second fighter in UFC history to chase a third simultaneous title, this time as the betting favorite.
Alex Pereira's pursuit of a third UFC title at age 38 is drawing pointed comparisons to a nearly identical moment in the sport's history — one that ended in a stoppage loss for the fighter who inspired it.
Eleven years before Pereira's current run, Vitor Belfort arrived at UFC 187 in 2015 with genuine momentum and genuine ambition. The Brazilian, then also 38 years old, had strung together finishes of Anthony Johnson, Luke Rockhold, Michael Bisping, and Dan Henderson, building enough confidence to release commemorative T-shirts celebrating what he hoped would be the UFC's first-ever triple championship. It did not come to pass. Chris Weidman stopped Belfort in the middleweight title fight, ending the dream before it started. Belfort, now 49, finishes his career at 26-14 and is remembered as the man who came closest to that historic milestone before Pereira arrived.
Weidman, the 42-year-old New Yorker who authored that defining moment, built his reputation as a complete fighter. Competing at six-foot-two with a 78-inch reach, the Serra-Longo product averaged 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career and landed significant strikes at a rate of 3.11 per minute on his way to a 16-8 record.
Pereira enters his own bid from a considerably more dominant position than Belfort held. The current light heavyweight champion carries a 13-4 record and lands significant strikes at a remarkable 5.16 per minute with 62 percent accuracy — among the highest output figures in the division. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, the 38-year-old Brazilian trains out of Teixeira MMA and Fitness and enters his chase as the betting favorite, a distinction Belfort did not enjoy in 2015.
Why it matters
- Pereira would become only the second fighter in UFC history to simultaneously pursue a third divisional title
- His striking volume and accuracy far exceeded Belfort's comparable numbers at the same career stage and age
- The parallel in age and nationality between the two attempts adds rare historical symmetry to the moment
