The UFC is banking on Vitor Belfort being cleared by the Nevada State Athletic Commission today after he answers their questions about failing a drug test earlier this year.
Belfort had a spike in his testosterone levels which has left the light heavyweight sidelined for the last few months. Prior to the incident, Belfort had enjoyed three straight high-profile wins which earned him three consecutive “Knockout of the Night” nods in 2013.
Belfort, an admitted former user of testosterone-replacement therapy, was tested on Feb. 7 prior to the World MMA Awards in Las Vegas. While the results of his test were never made public, he was scratched from a planned title fight with Weidman shortly afterward, citing a need for more time to ween off TRT.
Belfort later copped to failing the test and was then tapped to be Wanderlei Silva’s replacement at UFC 175, contingent on his ability to get a license. However, when would-be opponent Chael Sonnen also failed a pair of tests, Belfort was once-again yanked from the card.
UFC President Dana White doesn’t expect any future drug-testing issues with Belfort and doesn’t expect there to be any problems prior to his impending showdown with 185-pound champion Chris Weidman.
“If Vitor gets licensed, from now until the fight with Weidman, they’re going to Olympic-style test him like crazy,” White told UFC.com. “If he’s on anything, if he does anything, he’ll get caught. When he fights Chris Weidman, he’ll be 100 percent clean.”
