Silva, Belfort engage in intense staredown
LAS VEGAS – HeavyMMA.com was live and on the scene for today’s thrilling UFC 126 fighter weigh-ins at the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The main event middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort took an unexpected turn during an intense and confrontational staredown after each fighter made weight. Silva, who took offense to Belfort saying he wears a mask in public, put on a white mask and immediately got in Belfort’s face. Silva then took off the mask and began screaming at Belfort, and the two fighters had to be physically separated. The crowd of 5,500 fans – one of the largest in UFC history for a weigh-in event – seemed solidly behind Belfort, who lives and trains in Las Vegas.
The only fighter to miss weight was Mike Pierce, who weighed in one pound over the welterweight limit. He was given one hour to make weight or be forced to forfeit part of his purse.
Here’s our exclusive HeavyMMA.com photo gallery of the event. All images by James Law for HeavyMMA.com
Arianny Celeste
Dana White and Joe Silva
Chandella Powell
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UFC 126: Official Weigh-In Photo Gallery