Belfort: “Franklin is a very tough fighter”

By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Gene Blevins Hogenphotos / Golden Boy Promotions

Four years later, Vitor Belfort returns to the UFC octagon, place where he shone for the world and became the "Phenom". With six more victories in the record,Belfort already has an opponent in his return, and will be another former champion, Rich Franklin. "I'm damn happy, can’t wait to go in there", he said, excited, praising the opponent. "He’s a very tough fighter, strong... He developed a lot”.

Scheduled to the UFC 103, which happens on September 19, Vitor explains the decision of fighting against the American in an catchweight. "The decision was of the UFC itself. Rich said that he can’t go to middleweight anymore and needed to fight at 195lbs, which he can hit", says. And it was in this weight that Rich made his last two fights, when he lost to Dan Henderson and defeated Wanderlei Silva.

Former heavyweight champion, Belfort doesn’t think about titles yet, despite Dana White has already expressed the interest in a fight between him and the middleweight champion Anderson Silva. "I'm getting here now, I’m not in a hurry. I don’t choose fight, is the Ultimate that sets, they are the promoters. I’ll work hard and we’ll take fight by fight", finished the fighter, who plans on training at Xtreme Couture for the bout.