Vitor Belfort, a fighter with a storied career, is set to be honored with induction into the UFC Hall of Fame.
The announcement took place during the UFC 315 broadcast live from Montreal on Saturday. Belfort, 48, was present at the Bell Centre during the event and is confirmed as a member of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, with the official induction ceremony scheduled for June 28 in Las Vegas.
Belfort will be inducted into the Hall of Fame`s esteemed Pioneer Wing.
Over his 26 bouts across multiple tenures with the promotion, Belfort established himself as a formidable presence capable of competing across weight classes, particularly known for his devastating knockout power. He contended for a UFC championship five times. His notable light heavyweight title victory over Randy Couture at UFC 46 was memorable, though the bout was cut short due to an injury to Couture. Randy Couture later defeated Belfort in their subsequent rematch.
Beyond the UFC, Belfort achieved significant success in other notable organizations like PRIDE and Affliction. However, it was in the UFC where “The Phenom” made his biggest mark. Aside from his two championship encounters with Couture, his list of title challengers includes legendary names such as Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Chris Weidman.
Belfort`s highlight reel includes impressive knockout wins against prominent fighters including Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold, and Rich Franklin.
From his very first appearance in the Octagon in February 1997 at the young age of 19, Belfort was immediately recognized as a potential superstar. At UFC 12, “The Phenom” showcased his explosive speed by winning a one-night heavyweight tournament, needing a mere two minutes of total fight time to defeat both Scott Ferrozzo and Tra Telligman. This early success was quickly followed by a swift 52-second knockout of Tank Abbott at UFC 13, which significantly boosted his rapidly growing profile.
By joining the Pioneer Wing, Belfort is placed among other legendary figures who shaped the early era of the sport within the UFC, including fellow Brazilian icons Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva, alongside American pioneers like Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, and Randy Couture.
The induction ceremony on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena will also recognize other significant individuals and moments from UFC history. The 2025 class includes two-division champion Amanda Nunes (Modern Wing), former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler (Modern Wing), the highly praised title bout between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum from UFC 236 (Fight Wing), and producer Craig Piligian (Contributor Wing).
