Vitor Belfort is finally getting his place among the legends. 28 years since he first set foot in the Octagon, the Brazilian is finally set to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame later this year! With a career total of 41 fights—26 wins, 14 losses, and 1 no-contest—the former UFC light heavyweight champion was a force to be reckoned with during his prime. Belfort burst onto the scene in 1997, at just 19 years old, and captured the UFC 12 heavyweight tournament title. And who could forget that unforgettable 44-second knockout of Wanderlei Silva at UFC 17.5? Moments like that cemented his legacy as one of the sport’s most electrifying finishers.

Chasing new opportunities, the Brazilian powerhouse took his talents to Japan, believing his career would thrive under the Pride FC banner. After his stint in the East, Vitor Belfort made his return to the UFC in 2002. Just two years later, at UFC 46: Supernatural, he delivered a brutal first-round finish against Randy Couture, capturing the light heavyweight title.

When the UFC broke the news of Vitor Belfort’s Hall of Fame induction, emotions overwhelmed ‘The Phenom’. Brought to tears, the veteran fighter was visibly moved as the honor marked a powerful culmination of his decades-long journey—proof that every triumph, setback, and hard-fought battle had finally paid off. The video was shared on their Instagram page, and many celebrities took out time to show their appreciation. One of them was Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson, who took to the comments section to pay his tribute to the former UFC fighter.

The 53-year-old commented, “👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾💪🏾 loved watching you fight brother, congratulations.” Well, ‘The Rock’ and many others can see the Brazilian fighter return to action as revealed by him in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani. However, this time he wants to try his hand at boxing, which has always been his lifelong dream.

Jed I. Goodman took to his X account to share the clip of his conversation. During the conversation, Belfort said, “I love boxing and I think you know. Fun fights, nothing I’m not looking into fighting for the title. What I am looking to do some business in, and I think a lot of people didn’t have the opportunity to see me fight in 2013. One of my best years. And as you know, when Vitor Belfort steps into the ring or Octagon, you know the fight is on.”

As fans, we can only hope that he gets his dream boxing fight and makes a return to action. But since this article also talks about Belfort’s illustrious MMA career, let us now focus on some of the stellar performances the 48-year-old delivered inside the Octagon.

A closer look at Vitor Belfort and his outstanding UFC career

Despite his incredible accomplishments, Vitor Belfort’s legacy has long been clouded by controversy. Accusations of PED use and the controversial use of TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) have followed him throughout his career, leaving fans split—some in awe of his talent, others questioning the legitimacy of his success. Remember the ‘TRT Vitor’ meme? The Brazilian has been associated, by many fans, with a class of fighters who were on some form of PEDs, and became monstrous iterations of themselves—Alistair Overeem’s ‘Ubereem’ also being one of them.

Belfort’s reign as champion was short-lived, as Randy Couture avenged his loss later that same year, reclaiming the title in their rematch. Following a string of defeats, Belfort parted ways with the UFC once more, taking his talents to other promotions like Pride, CageSide, and Affliction.

But the fire never left him. In September 2009, Belfort made his long-awaited return to the UFC. And he did so in emphatic fashion, stopping Rich Franklin in the first round, letting the world know that ‘The Phenom’ was back with a vengeance. Following his return, Belfort competed in a string of high-profile bouts across both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

He faced some of the sport’s biggest names, including Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Michael Bisping, Dan Henderson, and Luke Rockhold. One of his most talked-about wins came against Bisping—a fight marred by controversy.

Not only did Belfort’s devastating head kick leave ‘The Count’ with a career-altering eye injury. He was also accused of using TRT during the bout. For many longtime fans and fighters alike, 2013 wasn’t just Belfort’s peak—it was the era of “TRT Vitor,”. Belfort’s career has been nothing short of a roller-coaster, marked by breathtaking highs, crushing lows, and no shortage of controversy along the way. Now, with his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, fans are left divided. How highly do you rate Vitor Belfort as a fighter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.