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Brazilian Legend Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort Joins ONE Championship
Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort is the latest superstar to sign with The Home Of Martial Arts.
ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong made the announcement on Friday, 1 March.
BREAKING NEWS: I am thrilled to announce that UFC Legend Vitor Belfort is now a ONE Championship athlete! A former UFC…
Posted by Chatri Sityodtong on Thursday, February 28, 2019
Belfort is considered one of the best mixed martial artists in the history of the sport.
Throughout his 22-year career, he has competed in multiple different weight classes including heavyweight, light heavyweight, and middleweight.
The Rio De Janeiro, Brazil native — who holds a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under the legendary Carlson Gracie — has claimed several prestigious titles including the UFC Light Heavyweight World Championship, the UFC 12 Heavyweight Tournament Championship, and the Cage Rage Light Heavyweight World Championship.
Now, he brings his immense talent to the world’s largest martial arts organization.
“It is with great pleasure and honor that I welcome Vitor Belfort into the ONE Championship family,” Sityodtong said in a statement.
“Vitor is, hands down, one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts. He is a legend across the world, and we are thrilled to have him as ONE expands into South America.
“A World Champion in multiple weight divisions, Vitor is a massive addition to our ever-growing roster of ONE Championship elite athletes. I cannot wait to see his explosive power and his exciting knockout finishes inside the ONE cage.”
Thank you to my bro Vitor Belfort for spending the day here at ONE Championship! Catch him tomorrow night cageside as my guest! And stay tuned for some big news! #WeAreONE
Posted by Chatri Sityodtong on Thursday, February 21, 2019
Belfort made his professional mixed martial arts debut in October 1996. Since that time, he has compiled a 26-14 (1 NC) record with 18 of those career victories ending via knockout.
He has also defeated many mixed martial arts World Champions including Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Michael Bisping, and even ONE Championship Vice President Rich Franklin.
The 41-year-old looks to build on his record in ONE and add another belt to his trophy case.
“I have been in this sport since I was 19 years old, and have been fortunate enough to witness its growth and evolution firsthand. I am grateful to so many for this incredible opportunity,” Belfort said.
“ONE Championship is The Home Of Martial Arts, and I plan to become a ONE World Champion in front of some of the best martial arts fans in the world.”
Belfort is the latest addition in a string of signings, which includes Akiyama, Yushin Okami, Sage Northcutt, Demetrious Johnson, and Eddie Alvarez.