The UFC’s middleweight number 1 contender, Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort, was not at all impressed to hear that Chris Weidman had won the “World MMA Awards” coveted “Fighter of the year” award, calling the decision ’embarrassing.’

His words (via Combate):

“It was embarrassing,” Belfort stated. “Not that it should’ve been me, but winning the award after just one fight? It’s shameful. He won one fight. The other was (pretty much) accidental.”

The rating UFC middleweight champion, Chris Weidman, went 2-0 in 2013, with both victories coming over Anderson Silva. The “All American” was the first fighter to ever earn a victory over Anderson Silva inside the octagon. Chris first defeated “The Spider” via knockout at UFC 162 in July and then again by TKO (leg break) at December’s UFC 168 event.

Meanwhile, Vitor Belfort went 3-0 in 2013, scoring head-kick knockout victories over opponents Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold and most recently Dan Henderson. Vitor’s KO victory over the former Pride & Strikeforce champion, Dan Henderson, marked the first time that “Hendo” had been stopped by strikes in his MMA career.

Belfort and Weidman will settle their differences in the main event of UFC 173, which is set for Memorial Day Weekend (May 24) in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Do you think Chris Weidman deserved “Fighter of the year” honors? Let’s hear it Penn Nation!

By Chris Taylor