Vitor Belfort says he’d stop TRT use for UFC title shot

Vitor Belfort and wife Joana Prado. (Zuffa)

Vitor Belfort has told everyone that would listen that his four straight wins at middleweight (with one loss to Jon Jones at light heavyweight sandwiched in between) have earned him the right to another middleweight shot. Problem is, the last time Belfort got a shot at the middleweight title, he became quick highlight reel fodder for then champ Anderson Silva, losing by KO in the first round.

Belfort is no longer an apparently credible threat to Silva and champ Chris Weidman has his hands full with his rematch with "The Spider." So, "The Phenom" next fights at light heavyweight against Dan Henderson.

Belfort hasn't given up talking about middleweight title shots, though. In a recent interview with Brazilian outlet UOL, Belfort told that middleweight gold is still on his mind, and that he'd be willing to drastically change his fight preparation to get a shot at it.

Belfort routinely asks for therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) to received testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Brazilian commissions have been granting the national hero TUEs but Nevada's commission executive director has gone on record as saying that Belfort would not be granted a TUE for TRT in the UFC's home state.

In 2006, Belfort tested positive for the banned substance, 4-hydroxytestosterone, after a fight in Nevada. Belfort maintains that he stays within allowable testosterone levels while receiving TRT under the supervision of doctors but told UOL that he'd give up the treatments if that made a difference to the UFC giving him a title shot.

"I’ve already said that, if they agree with it, I would [stop receiving TRT]," he said. "No problem at all. If they want me to get there in a disadvantage, that’s ok."

Belfort's promise may be a meaningless one, however, since he says that UFC officials have already told him that they won't require him to stop receiving TRT treatments.

"But they already told me that’s not the problem," he explained.

"UFC told me ‘you can’t get in there in disadvantage.’ The thing is, I’m in normal testosterone levels with TRT. That’s the treatment. People don’t seem to understand that I’m the only guy that does blood tests. Many fighters don’t do this, many use illegal stuff and are not tested like I am. I’m tested all the time. Week after week, month after month. I have to keep the levels normal to make it fair."

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