Light Heavyweight Title Bout: Randy "The Natural" Couture vs. Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort
RANDY COUTURE: American wrestler, three-time Olympic Team alternate ('88,'92 and '96), World Team Member '91, '93, '95 and '97, semifinalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials, three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I All-American, two-time NCAA finalist, All-Army Wrestling Team U.S. Armed Forces Champion, 1988 World Military Games Champion, U.S. National Wrestling Team member since 1990 Pan American champion three-time national Greco-Roman champion, twice voted Most Outstanding Wrestler, Assistant Wrestling Coach at Oregon State University, RINGS veteran (3-2), Japan Open Vale Tudo veteran (0-1), two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, current UFC Interim Light Heavyweight Champion, trains with Dan Henderson, Matt Lindland, Chael Sonnen and members of Team Quest, with a 12-5 record in MMA, making his 12th appearance (9-2) in the UFC
Abbreviated Fight History: Randy was wrestling in Puerto Rico went he got the call there was a slot open in the UFC 13 heavyweight tournament. He accepted the opportunity and won the tournament. He returned to UFC 15 to dispose of the "Phenom" Vitor Belfort and punished the heavily favored Brazilian. Couture then traveled to Japan and captured the heavyweight title from Maurice Smith. Randy was stripped by SEG for not taking a pay cut to defend his title and again the title was vacant. Randy came back at UFC 28 and has fought consistently for the organization since that time. However the move down from heavyweight to light heavyweight only occurred with the passing of UFC 43 and the bout against Chuck Liddell. Below are some of Couture's more significant contests.
Couture/Vitor Belfort: Discussed below as part of Vitor's fights.
Couture/Kevin Randleman: Randy was gone from the UFC for 3 years and retuned to UFC 28 to face Kevin Randleman for the title. He stopped the champion with strikes late in the third round and showed fans he was back where he belonged.
Couture/Pedro Rizzo: The first bout was amazing. Round 1 to Couture, round 2 to Rizzo, rounds 3, 4 and 5 fairly even. But we all know you need to beat the man to be the man. As for the rematch, Randy finished Pedro with strikes and closed the chapter of that book
Couture/Josh Barnett: UFC 36 brought the challenge of yet another accomplished grappler in the form of AMC Pankration fighter Josh Barnett. With Barnett, Randy had to fight someone he had trained with before and that makes it all the more difficult to pound the snot out of the guy across from you. Josh showed great respect for Couture after winning the title and at the time it just seemed like a natural changing of the guard. Tests run prior to the bout came back showing steroids in Barnett's system and he was stripped of the title.
Couture/Ricco Rodriguez: Randy battled Ricco Rodriguez for the vacant belt at UFC 39. There the two squared off with each man claiming some of the early rounds as their own. However Rodriguez was able to turn luck in his favor and fend off the former champion with strikes to seize his title in the fifth and deciding round.
Couture/Chuck Liddell: Randy shocked the MMA world by dismantling the long-time #1 contender in the division and doing so by playing his own game. Couture boxed and battered Chuck Liddell and overpowered kickboxer and wrestler in the 3rd round on route to the Interim Light Heavyweight Championship title.
Couture/Tito Ortiz: A five round bout that brought a smile to more faces than a big ol' tax refund check. Tito finally got handled. I mean completely dominated bell to bell and even cried afterwards. He was literally spanked in the cage and the forty year old man schooled the bad boy. But I digress. I will rip no further, I've just never been an Ortiz fan. Couture won every round and easily walked away the new champion.
Also worthy of note: Couture battled Maurice Smith (win/dec), Enson Inoue (loss/armbar), Mikhail Illoukhine (loss/arm lock), Tsuyoshi Kohsaka (win/dec) and Valentijn Overeem (loss/choke)
Strengths And Weaknesses: Few mixed martial artists have received the accolades and established pedigree of wrestler Randy Couture. He has enjoyed success in his discipline on every level. With the spot of MMA, Couture was able to combine many of the physical attributes he possesses and work them to add credibility and become a champion in the fledgling sport. He uses his inside fighting skills or "dirty boxing" as it has been labeled, to punish opponents on the feet. No one works the clinch like Couture. It
also seems his desire to succeed is without equal. His weakness would have to be his age. He's 39 and it has to be hard to train with and compete against fighters 10 to 20 years younger than you. His body doesn't heal as fast either.
How He Can Beat Belfort: Although both are different fighters from years ago, Randy can likely follow the gameplan he used the first time around. If he crowds Vitor and doesn't let him get comfortable in the fight, he may frustrate Belfort and find an opening to blast him. It's also best to keep it standing and really test those hands of Belfort because we rarely see Couture go for a serious submission and it is likely Belfort won't respect or fear Randy's guard.
VITOR BELFORT: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter, Carlson Gracie Sr. black belt, 4-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion, Pride Fighting Championships veteran, SuperBrawl veteran, 3rd Place in the 2001 Abu Dhabi Submission Fighting World Championships, training with Al Stankie for Boxing, Claudio Godoy, Fernando Terere and Leo Vieira at Master Jiu-Jitsu and members of the Brazil Fight Club, as well as Mark Kerr, Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira, , with a 11-3 record in MMA, making his 9th appearance (7-2) in the UFC
Abbreviated Fight History: Vitor was always a good athlete as a child and he swam, played tennis and soccer. He studied judo early on and moved to jiu-jitsu at 13. His training there allowed him to become a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion at 16 years old. The following year he began to travel to the U.S. to train with Carlson Gracie Sr. and even took the last name of Gracie for a short period of time. Vitor debuted in MMA at Superbrawl 2 against UFC veteran John Hess. It was a stunning 12 second KO. He moved from there to the UFC and took UFC 12 heavyweight tournament title with just over two minutes of actual fight time. He left the UFC in 1998 and debuted in Pride against Kazushi Sakuraba in April of 1999. Vitor competed in 5 bouts there going 4-1 (losing to Sak by decision) and returned to the UFC in June of 2002. Below are some of Belfort's more significant contests:
Belfort/David Abbott: Abbott comes in to punch and Belfort clinches and leg trips him to the mat. Belfort seizes an arm and motions to armbar but he's right against the fence. Vitor's hesitation gives Abbott a chance to take Belfort down and get back to his feet. From his back Vitor kicks up at Tank but he is quickly on his feet again. Tank catches a left to the face and they clinch to exchange uppercuts. Belfort rears back and unleashes a storm of lefts and rights that has Abbott reeling. Tank goes for a takedown and falls to his knees. Belfort works to keep him there, pushing his head down and getting his back, striking all the while. Vitor turns Abbott to a seated position and punches him in the back of the head until Tank voluntarily rolls to his stomach and covers his head. Big John has seen enough and calls a halt to the bout.
Belfort/Randy Couture: They stalk each other with Couture circling to the left, away from Belfort's power hand. Vitor peppers him with strikes early but doesn't really unload. Couture pops him with a jab and Belfort moves in for a takedown, allowing Randy to turn his body and attempt a takedown of his own. Couture clinches against the fence and defends against another takedown by Vitor. They break and return to the center of the cage. Couture seems more comfortable and engages Belfort, even circling to the right and encouraging him to trade punches. They clinch again with Belfort trying to deliver punishment inside but Couture blocks most of it with his arms and gloves. They stay in the clinch and circle until Randy catches Vitor coming and drops him to the mat landing in side position. Couture moves his legs forward to establish base and punches Vitor from a side headlock. Belfort scrambles out but Randy stays with him and winds up in Vitor's guard. Couture stacks his weight on Belfort, opening his guard and holds Vitor's head up. Vitor does virtually nothing. They stay in Belfort's guard with Couture pounding down on. Randy sits high in the guard and it looks like he could be set up for an armbar but Belfort doesn't seize it and opts to kick up at Couture from the mat. Vitor flips over on to his knees and Randy is leaning over the top of him with his arms wrapped around his waist and hitting him with knees. They break away then reengage, exchanging uppercuts and hooks in the clinch. Couture lands more than a dozen clean uppercuts with no answer from Belfort. Vitor drops to the mat and is greeted with knees to the head. He rolls to his stomach and Randy follows, pounding him in the face and body. Just after the 8-minute mark, Belfort is simply a punching bag on the floor of the cage and the referee stops the action.
Belfort/Heath Herring: His last Pride appearance was against then PFC heavyweight title contender Heath Herring. Heath agreed to fight Belfort but in the days leading up to the match, rules were included that allowed for an advantage to be given to the smaller fighter. Herring was at least 30 lbs heavier than Vitor and that gave him an immediate edge over Heath before the opening bell even rang. The bout was competitive but it was clear Belfort won the decision because of the rule.
Belfort/Chuck Liddell: Vitor faced light heavyweight title contender Chuck Liddell at UFC 37.5 in Las Vegas. Surprisingly, Belfort was able to take Liddell down in the first round but the hands didn't fly like before. Vitor seemed reserved, even passive. He landed maybe three good punches in the second round. Ironically it was his leg kicking that was more effective in the second round and from there on. Belfort threw more leather in the third round and even exchanged with Chuck but it was Liddell who put Vitor on the canvas with a short right hand. Chuck controlled the bout throughout and won the decision victory.
Belfort/Marvin Eastman: Eastman throws a few low kicks early and follows with a high roundhouse to the head but nothing lands. Belfort throws one back and Eastman answers with a leg kick that lands. Marvin rushes in after another leg kick from Belfort and is met with a Thai clinch and a pair of knees to the head. Eastman falls and Belfort finishes him with strikes on the canvas in the side of the cage. The cut on his head was one of the ugliest gashes you are likely to see in a fight.
Also worthy of note Belfort battled: Tre Telligman (win/submission), Wanderlei Silva (win/KO), Kazushi Sakuraba (loss/decision) and Gilbert Yvel (win/decision)
Strengths And Weaknesses: Vitor's machine gun style punching has been a trademark of his for a long time. The speed is certainly still there but Belfort has broken his hands a number of times (supposedly at least 4 times) and he is not the same fighter from the early days. Vitor showed some new wrinkles in his striking with the muay Thai knees and roundhouse kicks he used against Eastman. He's always in shape and looks ready to battle but his heart and focus can also be a major weakness. Vitor has had issues with concentration leading up to fights in the past and we know with his sister still missing as I write this, his focus will certainly be split that night.
How He Can Beat Couture: Out work him in the late rounds. Someday Couture will actually show signs of age and maybe it will be against Belfort. If Vitor can unload on him the way he did against Eastman and open Randy up, it could be a short night for "The Phenom".
MY PICK: Randy Couture. I felt from the time this bout was signed that Couture would beat Belfort in the third round. No disrespect intended to Belfort, especially given his family situation right now, but I'm not sure how he got this title bout and why Rich Franklin now fights in Japan. They get on Wanderlei Silva about defeating weak opponents but who has Vitor beaten lately? Did I miss something or did Belfort lose to the then #1 contender for the title? And then that contender was pounded by the current champion. So Belfort beats a fairly good first timer in the octagon (who also lost to Franklin) and bang, he's the #1 contender? Vitor seems like a good person and you have to love the emotion he showed after the Eastman win. I think he really gets it now. So what I'm saying is by no means a personal attack on Belfort but a very talented 14-0 (at the time) Rich Franklin with a 2-0 record in the UFC was sent packing to Japan and it could've been avoided. Why Belfort and Franklin didn't fight for the right to face Randy is beyond me. But enough of that, I hope Vitor uses the uncertainty in his personal life to motivate him to perform well and I pray we don't see it used as an excuse for a poor showing. I truly hope they find Priscila Viera Belfort alive and well before Saturday's fight. As for the bout, I feel it will be Couture by TKO in the 3rd Round.
DOWN THE ROAD:
Couture/Wanderlei Silva: They both seem to want it. Randy wants to continue to challenge himself and a successful belt unification can only help a troubled UFC. Silva is looking to move to heavyweight so it would have to be soon.
Couture/Quinton Jackson: Can "Rampage" slam his way to victory over "Captain America", especially if the bout takes place in a boxing ring instead of a cage?
Belfort/Ian Freeman: Two sluggers. Probably not much ground action here but has all the makings of Rizzo/Arlovski or Sylvia/Correira.
Belfort/Renato Sobral: "Babalu" has proven himself worthy of another bout in the UFC. If Belfort is able to win and stays in the cage, Sobral is a legitimate contender for the title.