Michael Bisping acknowledges Vitor Belfort’s significant contributions to UFC history and his Hall of Fame induction, despite their personal history and Bisping’s belief that Belfort was a “massive cheater” due to steroid use.
Michael Bisping acknowledges Vitor Belfort’s significance in UFC history, but he doesn’t have to like him. Earlier this month, at UFC 315, the promotion announced Belfort’s induction into the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame, Pioneer Wing. It’s the pinnacle of a storied MMA career, yet it stings fellow Hall of Famer and commentator Michael Bisping.
Bisping has a long, personal history with Belfort. They fought at UFC on FX 7 in 2013, where Belfort won by a head-kick knockout. That finish detached Bisping’s retina, leading to total vision loss in his right eye. At the time, Belfort was using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which Bisping has never forgiven, calling Belfort “the biggest cheat” in combat sports.
Despite the bad blood, Bisping wasn’t too upset about Belfort’s Hall of Fame induction. “When we were in Des Moines, Iowa, Paul Felder had a piece about the inductees,” Bisping told Mike Bohn. “They said, ‘We won’t ask you, Mike, for obvious reasons.’ I said, ‘You know what? I’ll do it.’”
Bisping admits that, objectively, Belfort’s achievements are undeniable. “The man was the UFC heavyweight champion at 19, then the light heavyweight champion. He almost became the middleweight champion. He’s the closest thing we’ve had to a three-weight champion.”
Though Belfort never held the UFC heavyweight title, he won the heavyweight tournament at UFC 12, knocking out Scott Ferrozzo in 43 seconds. He later claimed the light heavyweight title with a win over Randy Couture at UFC 46. Couture reclaimed it in their rematch months later.
Belfort bounced around various promotions before returning to the UFC in 2009, challenging for the middleweight and light heavyweight titles, but never winning. He used TRT when allowed but wasn’t implicated in other PED usage. Even Bisping admits Belfort’s contributions to the sport are significant.
“Was he a massive cheater? Of course. Did he take a lot of steroids? Of course,” Bisping said. “Were there others doing the same? Absolutely. But I thought, ‘I lost an eye because of this guy. He can stick his Hall of Fame up his ass.’”
Still, Bisping concedes, “He does deserve it. You can’t deny what he did inside the octagon. Whether you like it or not, he deserves it.”