Belfort Vs. Machida In The Works For UFC 224 In Brazil

It appears as if two of the best Brazilian mixed martial artists (MMA) of all time will lock horns later this year, as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is close to booking a middleweight meeting between former light heavyweight champions Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida for UFC 224 on May 12 from inside Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, per a recent report by MMA Fighting.

UFC has yet to make any official announcement.

Belfort, 40, is coming off a unanimous decision win over veteran Nate Marquardt back at UFC 212. It was the Brazilian’s first victory inside of the Octagon since he finished Dan Henderson via head kick back in 2015. “The Phenom” has hinted at retirement multiple times over the past year so this may be his perfect swan song.

Machida, 39, is coming off a split-decision win over rising contender Eryk Anders back at UFC Fight Night 125 in Belem, Brazil. That victory ended a three-fight losing streak for “Dragon” dating back to 2015. The former UFC champion is not what he used to be, but still remains a useful measuring tool for top contenders in the 185-pound division.

If this bout is in fact finalized it may very well serve as UFC 224’s co-main event.

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