A dramatic staredown between UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and #1 contender Vitor Belfort highlighted the UFC 126 press conference in Las Vegas, as the media went wild for what is being called in Brazil “The Fight of the Century!”
While both fighters have avoided re-hashing their personal history in public, there is very bad blood between Silva and Belfort. The two were friends, but that was years ago, and now they clearly don’t like each other a bit.
The story is rather dramatic. It happened a few years ago, when Belfort’s life was turned upside down by a series of events that included the still-unsolved kidnapping and murder of his sister Priscila.
Vitor moved from Rio to Belo Horizonte. As the story goes, Silva, who was living in Rio at the time, immediately moved to Belo Horizonte to be at his close friend’s side.
They were the best of friends, but something changed. Reportedly, Silva was shocked Belfort would accept a fight against him, considering all that has gone down between the two as being close as brothers. Belfort looked at a fight with Silva as an opportunity to get back to the top. Silva took the decision very personally.
The staredown between the two was so intense, UFC President Dana White couldn’t stop talking about it.
For a full photo gallery from the press conference, and exclusive comments from Dana White, click on the appropriate links below.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ENTIRE GALLERY
Nick was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of 18, when he decided to pack his flack jacket and move to New York City.
