Former UFC champion Vitor Belfort comes out of retirement, signs with ONE Championship

By Milan Ordoñez@Mr_Ordonez

Bloodyelbow.com

Especially in combat sports, retirement announcements are often temporary. Undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., for instance, had already made three declarations, only to constantly return and pile in more wins.

Former UFC champion and MMA veteran Vitor Belfort has been recently added to that list. As announced by ONE Championship, “The Phenom” has come out of retirement and officially signed with the Singapore-based promotion company.

Related: An in-depth look at ONE Championship’s finances, claims and losses

The 41-year-old Belfort has held stints in PRIDE in Japan, the UFC, and a one-time appearance in Strikeforce. He had gone 1-3, and 1 NC in his last five fights, with his most recent one at UFC 224 against Lyoto Machida in May 2018. He was knocked out in the second round and subsequently announced his retirement.

Belfort now joins fellow ex-UFC standouts like Eddie Alvarez, Sage Northcutt, and Demetrious Johnson in South East Asia. The date of his debut has yet to be determined.

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