Outside Source
Previously announced for Sept. 27 as the main event of the second Spaten Fight Night card, Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva were set to rematch under boxing rules. The two first came to blows at UFC 17.5—also known as the first UFC Brazil—in 1998, with Silva punching out his rival in 44 seconds in the former’s debut below heavyweight. On Thursday, after an official announcement on Brazilian outlet Globo, Belfort posted a video on his Instagram revealing that he suffered what was previously considered a “grade 3 concussion” in the medical community during training.
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The 48-year-old was understandably crestfallen about having to withdraw from his highly anticipated bout a few weeks before it was set to go down. “The Phenom” posted a statement on Instagram shortly after the news broke, where he went into a few more details.
“I know many people have been waiting for this moment, just as I have for almost 30 years,” Belfort said. “But during my preparations, over the last two weeks, I suffered a very serious injury that requires careful treatment. That’s why I’m here to announce that I won’t be able to participate in Spaten Fight Night 2 on September 27. It’s not easy for me to announce this here after so much anticipation and effort. I imagine you know how anxious I was, but right now the most important thing is to take care of my health. I want to thank the doctors in Brazil and the U.S. for their support, but you can be sure that I will come back stronger, because this story isn’t over yet. I know this rematch will happen. I hope my opponent and the fans of the sport can understand this unexpected situation.”
Arona? “Rampage”? Sonnen? New Opponent Revealed on Sunday!
With the pairing falling through a little over three weeks before show time, the promotion is planning on finding a replacement for the concussed Brazilian. “The Axe Murderer” has no shortage of additional rivals, and the names of prospective foes include Ricardo Arona, Quinton Jackson and Chael Sonnen—the last of whom faced Anderson Silva in a boxing match in Spaten Fight Night’s first card in January.
On Sunday, the name of Silva’s new opponent will be announced on the broadcast of “Fantastico,” one of the most heavily watched television programs in the South American nation. Due to a number of high-profile sponsors including a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign from the Spaten brewery, there was no doubt that Silva would fight someone on Sept. 27.
Leading up to their encounter, Spaten, with a campaign titled, “The Spaten Way to Promote a Fight,” opted to set the two combatants as penpals reading letters to one another before their official meeting. There was plenty of poetry and prose from the two, who appeared to go the extra mile with their filming locations.
For Silva, he departed to the coast of Italy, where he spoke to his frenemy with some flowery but mixed messages.
“Dear Vitor, seeing the slender legs of those beautiful seagulls reminded me of you. They’re so agile, quite unlike your induction into the Hall of Fame, which took seven long years. For our next meeting, I assure you, we’ll be fine-tuning your tenacious jawline so you can pose better for a selfie. I await your courage in the ring at Spaten Fight Night. Only your faithful opponent, Wanderlei.”
“The Phenom” responded from a cabin in the woods somewhere in a nondisclosed location allegedly in a “frozen corner of the globe.” His reply was a bit more direct.
“Dear Wanderlei, I hope these words find you healthy, because it will not last. Our last meeting was brief, but I’m sure the bones in your face still remember the nearly 20 punches I delivered to you. In an unforgettable 44 seconds, I was able to transform the ‘Mad Dog’ into a mere poodle. Looking forward to repeating the feat in September at Spaten Fight Night. From your eternal executioner, Vitor,” Belfort penned and read aloud.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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