A key fight that has been rumored is one step closer to being official as former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Vitor Belfort (23-10, 12-6 UFC) and former PRIDE and Strikeforce Champion Dan Henderson (29-10, 6-4 UFC) have reportedly agreed to a bout on an unannounced Nov. 9 fight card in Brazil.
Ariel Helwani reported the news on Tuesday night’s edition of UFC Tonight airing on FOX Sports 2 stating that UFC President Dana White confirmed to him the plan to do the fight, and that Belfort and Henderson have both agreed to the bout. The only hold-up appears to be at which weight they will fight as, whether it is at 185 pounds, 205 pounds, or perhaps a catchweight.
Belfort has been making noise about wanting a title shot after two straight knockout wins over fellow contenders Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold. With Chris Weidman defeating Anderson Silva at UFC 162 to win the UFC Middleweight Championship, it left Belfort as the odd man out as a rematch was set between those two. Belfort had said in recent weeks that he wouldn’t fight at 185 pounds unless it was for a title, but that he was open to fighting at 205 pounds or a catchweight. He was also calling out Chael Sonnen for a fight as recently as this past Saturday following Sonnen’s win at UFC Fight Night 26.
Henderson will be looking to stop a two-fight losing streak that has knocked him out of title contention. He was set to meet Jon Jones for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 151 in September 2012, but a knee injury forced him out of the bout. He put his top contender status on the line against Lyoto Machida at UFC 157 in February, a fight won by decision by Machida, knocking Henderson out of his title opportunity. Another decision loss, this time to Rashad Evans at UFC 161 in June, have Henderson looking to avoid the first three-fight losing streak of his career.
Belfort and Henderson have fought once before at PRIDE 32 in October 2006. Henderson won that bought by unanimous decision, and the fight is even more infamous due to the fact that Belfort failed a post-fight drug test for elevated levels of testosterone.
The unannounced Nov. 9 UFC event is expected to serve as UFC Fight Night 31, and will air on FOX Sports 1 live from Goiania, Brazil.
