LAS VEGAS -- Vitor Belfort was given a license by a 5-0 vote by the Nevada Athletic Commission on Wednesday, freeing him to challenge Chris Weidman for the middleweight title on Dec. 6 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in the main event of UFC 181.
Whether he'd have gotten that affirmative vote had he announced that the fight would be in Brazil instead of Las Vegas will never be known.
But be sure that it didn't hurt his cause at all. Prior to UFC 175, which was also at Mandalay Bay, UFC president Dana White told Yahoo Sports that the card would have a non-gaming economic impact of $175 million on Las Vegas' economy. A Weidman-Belfort title fight, with a potential Ronda Rousey-Gina Carano women's bantamweight title fight underneath it, would do massive business and would likely attract a paid gate in excess of $4 million.
�Belfort, appeared in person with attorney Michael Alonso to plead for his license. He got emotional as he spoke and wiped tears from his eyes at one point.
He was required to appear in person because in 2006, he'd tested positive for the anabolic steroid 4-hydroxytestosterone. He was fined and suspended nine months for that. In addition, Belfort was given a surprise test by the Nevada commission on Feb. 7 when he was in Las Vegas to attend an awards show.
His testosterone was out of the legal range, but he was on a therapeutic use exemption issued in Brazil for testosterone replacement therapy at the time. He testified on Wednesday that he normally injected himself with testosterone twice a week. But he said that because he was traveling, on Feb. 6 he injected himself with a double dose and that was why he was so high.
He said he provided subsequent tests that were in the normal range shortly thereafter.
TRT usage was legal at the time of the Feb. 7 in Nevada, but only with a TUE from the commission, which Belfort did not have. TRT use was banned later in the month by the commission.
But the commission gave great weight to the fact that Belfort was unlicensed in Nevada at the time of the test and that he was on a valid TUE from Brazil.
Belfort's performance seemed to skyrocket after he began his TRT regimen in 2011 after a loss to Anderson Silva. Belfort said he'd been feeling tired and lethargic and sought a doctor's help. Since going on TRT, Belfort went 5-1 with five knockouts, four in the first round, and only a loss in a light heavyweight title fight to Jon Jones.
As part of the agreement to license him, Belfort said he would not fight anywhere until December and that when he did return, the bout would be in Las Vegas. Finally, he agreed to random, unannounced drug testing at the commission's discretion.
Commissioner Anthony Marnell said, "You understand we're going to test you until the day you retire," and Belfort said he did.
Alonso said he asked that the testing "be reasonable." He said that because Belfort would be giving blood in addition to urine, he didn't want him to give too much blood too close to the fight so as to put Belfort at a competitive disadvantage.
The commission said it would consult its doctors before ordering the tests.
�It would have been interesting, though, to see how the vote would have gone had Belfort never mentioned the Weidman fight or if he'd said it would have been in Brazil.
Somehow, one gets the impression things might have gone a bit differently.
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