UFC: Vitor Belfort opens up about his loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 224, confirms that he carried a knee-injury to the event

UFC 224 is now finally in the books. It turned out to be a rather decent but a dull and lacklustre pay-per-view. However, one of the fights on the main-card that was highly anticipated was the first fight on the main-card, a middleweight bout between veterans and MMA legends Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida and Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort. In the second round, Machida turned the lights off for Belfort with a brilliant front-kick knock-out. Belfort has remained humble in his defeat and has now revealed that he carried an injury to the fight.

Vitor Belfort opened up about his loss at UFC 224.

“The Phenom” Belfort is currently 41 years old and has lost three of his last five fights, while only winning one. He has hinted that the loss to Machida might be his last fight.

The news about Belfort’s injured knee was first reported by Brazilian media outlet, Combate. The Brazilian late confirmed the news via an Instagram post. Here is a short excerpt from his post:

Winning or losing, fighting injured or not, it is part of an athlete’s life, I’m not the first one nor will be the last (athlete) to fight injured. Even though all the limitations imposed (on) me because of the (injury) I suffered, it is my decision to step into the octagon or not. And I decided to do it!

I did not want to miss the chance to have my last fight (in) the UFC, in my country, my hometown, and with a such respected opponent. I gave my best (in) the fight and my opponent was the better man that night. And this is what counts!

In the physical exam, where such injury should be communicated and/or identified by the physician who evaluated him, it had no information related to it. In the pre-fight medical held at the weigh-ins, he again did not mention, complain nor disclose such injury to the commission’s physician and, therefore, was cleared for the fight.