Machida Replaces Belfort in UFC 173 Main Event Against Weidman
On Thursday February 27, it was announced that the NSAC (Nevada State Athletic Commisison) had banned TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy). Not long after the announcement, news then broke that TRT poster boy Vitor Belfort (24-10) had withdrawn from a UFC 173 Middleweight title shot at Chris Weidman (11-0), who will instead defend his title against former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (21-4).
Belfort then announced that he didn’t withdraw from the bout but was pulled from the bout by the UFC so that Belfort would have the proper amount of time to get off of the TRT.
Since starting to use TRT Belfort had successively knocked out Micheal Bisping, Luke Rockhold, and Dan Henderson.
Weidman in his last two fights has defeated Anderson Silva twice the first by knock out to capture the UFC Middleweight title; and the second came via TKO due to leg injury when a Silva thrown checked kick snapped “The Spiders” leg.
Machida dropped to Middleweight after a unanimous decision loss to Phil Davis and has since defeated Mark Munoz (KO) and Gegard Mousasi (UD).
UFC 173 takes place on May 24, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Nevada.