{"id":241735,"date":"2017-06-12T08:30:29","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T15:30:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/?p=241735"},"modified":"2017-06-12T08:30:57","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T15:30:57","slug":"vitor-belfort-agrees-nate-marquardts-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/mma-news\/vitor-belfort\/vitor-belfort-agrees-nate-marquardts-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"Vitor Belfort agrees to Nate Marquardt’s challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this month, on the main card of UFC 212 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, MMA veterans Vitor Belfort and Nate Marquardt collided in an interesting, middleweight clash. In the end, Belfort would win this fight with a rather controversial decision<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Though this fight was initially expected to be Belfort’s retirement fight<\/a>, he was quick to correct this perception, first stating that he planned to continue fighting outside the UFC<\/a>, then that he actually planned on taking 5 or so more fights inside the UFC’s Octagon.<\/p>\n

Though nothing is confirmed just yet, it looks like Belfort’s next fight could end up being a rematch with Marquardt.<\/p>\n

Shortly after their fight, Marquardt voiced his disappointment with the judges’ decision, suggesting they only sided the way they did because the fight occured in Belfort’s native Brazil.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I was very surprised [by the decision],\u201d Marquardt told MMAFighting.com. \u201cI thought I clearly won rounds one and two, and I watched the fight, and even in round three he won the round more on just, you know, him going forward because he knew he had lost the first two rounds. And as far as punches and kicks landed, I landed more punches and kicks in the third round, he just had that one little flurry at the end but even then I fought out of that and was able to land at the end of the fight. So yeah, I was very surprised and shocked.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I really wish and it be awesome to fight him again,\u201d Marquardt continued. \u201cI don\u2019t know if that\u2019s even a possibility, but honestly, if I were him, I wouldn\u2019t be happy with that win.”<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he said that it would be his retirement fight, we were originally supposed to fight in Singapore, and I thought that was great, kinda neutral territory. But then they moved it to Rio, and it was kind of like a last minute thing, we were already like five weeks out and they basically said that that\u2019s where the fight was going to be, and I had to do it anyways. I think it\u2019d be fair if would be in the U.S.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Now, Belfort has agreed to Marquardt’s proposition, saying he’d be happy to rematch his recent foe on neutral ground.<\/p>\n

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I respect @natemarquardt a lot but finding excuses for a loss it is not right. I won the fight for sure and fighting in Brazil doesn’t make a difference for the organization and the judges. As far as I’m concerned UFC is a international organization that has events and staff all over the world. But if you want to do it again. I am down for it!! Let’s fight in a neutral ground, so you can’t complain about hometown advantage. I will make sure that the fight will not go to the last round! Let’s do it!! Respeito muito o @natemarquardt mas ficar procurando desculpa para uma derrota n\u00e3o \u00e9 legal. Eu venci a luta com certeza e lutar no Brasil ou em outro qualquer lugar do mundo n\u00e3o faz diferen\u00e7a para a organiza\u00e7\u00e3o ou para os ju\u00edzes. Pq at\u00e9 onde eu saiba o UFC \u00e9 uma organiza\u00e7\u00e3o internacional que promove eventos em v\u00e1rios pa\u00edses e tamb\u00e9m tem uma equipe espalhada por todos continentes. Mas se vc quer lutar outra vez, por mim tudo bem! Eu topo! Vamos lutar em campo neutro, a\u00ed vc n\u00e3o vai poder reclamar de lutar no pa\u00eds de ningu\u00e9m. Na pr\u00f3xima vou garantir q a luta n\u00e3o v\u00e1 para as m\u00e3os dos ju\u00edzes. Vamos lutar!!<\/a><\/p>\n

A post shared by Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (@vitorbelfort) on