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
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="1004" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="161" width="242" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Arianny Celeste
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="426" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Dana White and Joe Silva
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="962" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Chandella Powell
Kenny Robertson
Chandella Powell and Joe Rogan
Mike Pierce
Mike Pierce vs. Kenny Robertson
Bruce Buffer and Joe Silva
Ricardo Romero
Kyle Kingsbury
Kyle Kingsbury vs. Ricardo Romero
Gabe Reudiger
Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor vs. Gabe Reudiger
Demetrious Johnson
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="450" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Kid Yamamoto
Kid Yamamoto
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="457" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Kid Yamamoto vs. Demetrious Johnson
Michihiro Omigawa
Chad Mendes
Chad Mendes vs. Michihiro Omigawa
Paul Kelly
Donald Cerrone
Donald Cerrone vs. Paul Kelly
Antonio Banuelos
Miguel Angel Torres
Miguel Torres vs. Antonio Banuelos
Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Jake Ellenberger
Jake Ellenberger vs. Carlos Eduardo Rocha
Ryan Bader
Jon Jones
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="875" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader
Rich Franklin
Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin
Vitor Belfort
Anderson Silva
![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="846" width="640" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Anderson Silva with his mask
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort
Silva and Belfort have to be separated
