Vitor Belfort was advised by doctors to pull out his retirement bout with Lyoto Machida at UFC 224, according to MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz.
Combate reported yesterday that ‘The Phenom’ suffered a knee injury during the first week of training camp for UFC 224, and MMA Fighting confirmed confirmed the news on Thursday.
Belfort, an MMA veteran of twenty one years, ignored his doctors’ advice and went on to fight Machida at the Jeunesse Arena in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion was knocked out with a front kick landed by ‘The Dragon’ in the second round, and announced his retirement in the post-fight interview by laying down his gloves in the Octagon.