Vitor Belfort wants to fight Chael Sonnen in December

Just because earlier this week former UFC champion Vitor Belfort had to withdraw from a bout in November due to injury doesn’t mean the heavy-handed Brazilian is content to simply sit on the sidelines and twiddle his thumbs. Rather, Belfort already has a potential opponent in mind for his return to the ring and isn’t afraid to put his name out there either.

“The Phenom” recently spoke with Tatame where he expressed an intense desire to get in the Octagon with Chael Sonnen and “pound him out,” also saying he expected to be healthy enough to fight again before the end of the year.

“I hope I can fight (Sonnen). Let’s get this trashtalker…I think it’s the perfect timing, he’s a good opponent and it’s a fight that everybody wants to see,” Belfort began. “I really want to fight him.”

On the subject of his health, Belfort explained, “I don’t need to fight at 20% or 50%. I can’t take that risk, mainly in this special stage of my career. I have to be 100% there. (It’s) one thing (to) get injured during the camp, but I’d start my camp with an injury. The doctors decide that, and I’ll be ready to fight in December.”

If Sonnen is up to the task and the UFC brass decide to make the fight it would likely require the outspoken grappler to lose next month against Brian Stann as a win almost certainly guarantees him a second shot at dethroning pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva.

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Belfort is 20-9 in his career with fourteen strike-based stoppages. He has won six of his last seven fights with the only loss coming to Silva while racking up victories over the likes of Matt Lindland, Rich Franklin, and most recently Yoshihiro Akiyama.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC