The Breakdown: Affliction 'Day of Reckoning'

Vitor Belfort vs. Matt Lindland

Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’0/185 lbs.
Age: 31
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fighting out of: Las Vegas
Record: 17-8

The stakes: After a career spent breaking more hearts than Casanova, Belfort’s looking to keep his good mojo in Affliction going by notching what would be a career-salvaging victory against Lindland. In short, toppling one of the middleweight division’s top dogs would be the balm Belfort’s career so desperately needs.

The breakdown: Activity has always been the key to beating Lindland. If you let him get close and break you down, he will, and he will not let you get away. However, if Belfort can use his movement to create angles and keep a fist in Lindland’s face, this fight turns in a big way. Of course, barring a flash knockout, Belfort will also have to be prepared to maintain an active pace on the mat when Lindland scores an inevitable takedown. How Belfort reacts to that is what will likely decide his fate.

Matt “The Law” Lindland Scouting Report
Ht/Wt: 6’0/185 lbs.
Age: 38
Hometown: Oregon City, Ore.
Fighting out of: Portland, Ore.
Record: 21-5

The stakes: After a proposed catchweight bout with Renato Sobral was scrapped in favor of this middleweight tilt with Belfort, Lindland now has a chance to reassert his place among the 185-pound elite -- a distinction all but forgotten in light of Anderson Silva’s ongoing reign of fistic terror. While a clash with Silva remains a remote possibility at best, a win over Belfort would be a good way to spruce up Lindland’s sagging resume.

The breakdown: As much as Lindland has evolved and become more of a complete fighter, he remains a mangler, kind of like the possessed industrial laundry press from the Stephen King short story. That style is ideal for putting down Belfort, who goes Humpty Dumpty whenever the tide turns against him. As long as Lindland resists the temptation to step outside his usual realm, he’ll have little trouble dispatching Belfort.

The bottom line: After waiting on Belfort to do something other than disappoint at the worst time possible, it’s time for everyone to take a deep breath and move on. Sure, Belfort could win, but let’s face it, he won’t. The beginning may seem hopeful, but it’s only a matter of time before Lindland collapses the pocket. Once that happens, it won’t be long before Belfort starts thinking about what he’ll have for breakfast the next day instead of how to beat Lindland.