During his remarkable peak in 2013, Joe Rogan regarded Vitor Belfort as the `scariest motherf—er` in combat sports. In that phenomenal year, `The Phenom` delivered impressive knockouts against formidable opponents including Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold, and Dan Henderson. These dominant performances occurred while Belfort was legally, though controversially, undergoing testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
Belfort`s form appeared unprecedentedly good until TRT was officially prohibited in February 2014. This ban came a mere three months prior to his first-round middleweight title loss against Chris Weidman, marking a significant turning point in his career.
Joe Rogan Reflects on TRT Vitor
In a recent discussion with UFC legend Mark Kerr, preceding the release of Dwayne `The Rock` Johnson`s highly anticipated film about Kerr`s life, Joe Rogan delved into the past. The conversation saw them reminiscing about earlier days, specifically an era when performance-enhancing substances were widespread within MMA. As the sport matured, the UFC faced increasing pressure from athletic commissions, leading to the eventual outlawing of steroids.
Between 2007 and 2013, a TRT loophole emerged, which several prominent fighters began to exploit. Of those utilizing it, Vitor Belfort gained the most notoriety, largely due to the dramatic influence TRT seemingly had on his Octagon performances.
Rogan characterized Belfort as “an interesting case study.” He first acknowledged Belfort as “a pioneer,” stating, “First fought in the UFC at 19 years old, went through and won the tournament at 19, which is bananas.” Rogan then detailed Belfort`s physical decline after discontinuing `the sauce,` followed by a remarkable comeback once testosterone replacement therapy was reintroduced. He vividly recalled, “When testosterone replacement came in, all of a sudden, it was TRT Vitor and he was the scariest mothef—er for like five fights, or whatever it was, before they killed the TRT exemption.” Rogan concluded by suggesting, “Then it all went away for him. Like, that should be a commercial for testosterone replacement.”
Where is Vitor Belfort Now?
Vitor Belfort has not competed in mixed martial arts since his knockout loss to Lyoto Machida via front kick in May 2018. However, three years later, the now 48-year-old exhibited a reinvigorated form when he transitioned to exhibition boxing. In September 2021, Belfort famously knocked out boxing legend Evander Holyfield in under two minutes.
His last competitive appearance was a boxing victory over Ronaldo `Jacare` Souza in April 2023. Although a boxing bout against Wanderlei Silva was scheduled for September 27, it was recently cancelled. While its rescheduling remains uncertain, Belfort has publicly shown no inclination towards retirement from combat sports.
