The Nevada State Athletic Commission will hold a meeting on February 26th to discuss their current ruleset on exemptions for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). This meeting will take place three months before Vitor Belfort returns to Nevada in an attempt to dethrone UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman.
Vitor Belfort is no stranger to controversy in Nevada. After his bout with Dan Henderson in 2006 at PRIDE 32, Belfort was popped for an illegal testosterone substance. Belfort admitted that he may have had it injected into him without his knowledge as part of a recovery process for surgery, but the NSAC stood their ground and informed him that it was illegal regardless of the situation. He faced a hefty fine of $10,000 and was suspended for nine months.
Fast forward six years and the 36-year old is in the shape of his life. He has defeated Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold and (ironically) Dan Henderson in consecutive one-sided performances. He has been awarded ‘Knockout of the Night’ three fights in a row. All three fights have taken place in Brazil where he was issued an exemption for TRT. Now that he is a number-one contender within his division, he will be traveling to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete for the UFC Middleweight Championship. The question is whether or not he will experience similar leniency for TRT exemption like his recent contests in Brazil.
NSAC Chairman Francisco Aguilar recently shared his thoughts on the upcoming meeting with ESPN.com:
“It’s the commission’s need and desire to get clarity on the issue before we go into a situation where we have to make a decision immediately,” Aguilar said. He continued, “It’s not fair to have that discussion while someone is in front of you. It’s important to have a basis of where you find yourself as a commissioner prior to that — having all the information you need from the experts…”
Do you think Vitor Belfort will be approved for a TRT exemption? Do you think he deserves one? Tweet us and share your thoughts in the comment section below!