In 2015, Vitor Belfort was so confident of defeating Chris Weidman at UFC 187 that he had commemorative T-shirts printed proclaiming himself a future middleweight champion, which would have made him the first three-division titleholder in UFC history. Belfort entered the fight on a strong run of finishes and drew attention for a testosterone reading of 1,200 ng/dL, but Weidman absorbed his early pressure, secured a takedown, and finished him by ground-and-pound. The piece draws a parallel to Alex Pereira's current pursuit of a third UFC title at the same age of 38, though Pereira enters his bid as the favourite.
A decade before multi-division title chases became routine conversation in MMA circles, Vitor Belfort arrived at UFC 187 in May 2015 so certain of victory that he had already commissioned commemorative T-shirts declaring himself the new middleweight champion — a win that would have made him the first fighter in UFC history to hold titles across three weight classes.
Belfort, now 49 and carrying a professional record of 26-14, was riding a run of finishes heading into that night and drawing scrutiny after a reported testosterone reading of 1,200 ng/dL. The Brazilian southpaw, who stands six feet tall with a 74-inch reach, averaged 1.59 significant strikes per minute across his career, a number that reflects his calculated, pressure-based approach rather than a high-volume output.
Chris Weidman, the reigning middleweight champion, proved equal to the moment. The six-foot-two New Yorker from the Serra-Longo Fight Team landed at a rate of 3.11 significant strikes per minute and averaged an impressive 3.27 takedowns per 15 minutes throughout his career. True to form at UFC 187, Weidman weathered Belfort's early pressure, secured a takedown, and finished the challenger with ground-and-pound to retain his title.
Why it matters
- The story resurfaces because current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is pursuing a third UFC title at the same age — 38 — that Belfort was in 2015.
- Pereira, now 13-4 with a 62 percent striking accuracy and a remarkable 5.16 significant strikes per minute, enters his own bid regarded as the favourite, a contrast to Belfort's position that night.
- The parallel highlights how rare and difficult three-division title reigns remain in UFC history, with the window closing fast for any fighter attempting it past their mid-thirties.
