Getty Vitor Belfort is heading into a boxing ring against a YouTuber.
A YouTuber appeared to get into a wild brawl with former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort this week in a recently released viral video, and now the two stars are heading into a boxing match on Triller. ESPN’s Ariel Helwani re-posted the video of Belfort seemingly scrapping with a YouTuber known as “The Real Tarzann” after a recent workout at a gym.
Along with the video, Helwani posted, “There is a signed deal in place for @vitorbelfort vs.
@therealtarzann to take place on the June 19 Triller card, per @RyanKavanaugh. 12-ounce gloves, eight two-minute rounds. Pro bout, pending Florida commission approval likely tomorrow. Belfort is 1-0 as a boxer (2006)”.
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Belfort vs. The Real Tarzann on June 19
Belfort is a former UFC champion. During his career, he competed against some of the biggest UFC superstars ever, including Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, and Tito Oritz.
The 44-year-old also competed under the Strikeforce, Pride, and Affliction MMA promotional banners. Most recently, Belfort was part of ONE Championship’s roster, but he never actually ended up fighting for the company.
Mike Holston, aka The Real Tarzann, is a former zookeeper-turned-wild animal conservationist who has become a social media phenomenon with millions of followers. He has over 6 million followers on Instagram alone, so he’s just about as Internet-famous as anyone can be these days without being a household name.
The main problem with the video so far of course is that hardly anyone believes it’s a legit brawl.
Indeed, retired UFC star Daniel Cormier came out and straight-up called the video a “sham” after his cohort Helwani posted the video and news of the fight on Instagram.
Cormier commented, “@henry_cejudo and @cptamericas wrote and directed this awful piece of cinema lmao. It’s a sham, a work is what it’s called in the business”.
Bellator fighter Dillon Danis agreed with “DC”. He commented about the video, “this is embarrassing”.
Regardless, the video exists after being released on the Internet, and now Belfort will face a YouTuber inside a boxing ring.
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Press Release Says Snoop Dogg Made Fight Happen
The press release sent out by Triller suggests social media coverage of the altercation is what caught the eye of Triller Fight Club partner Snoop Dogg.
The famed rapper quickly reached out to Belfort and Holston in an effort to take the grudge off the street and into the ring.
“Vitor is one of the all-time greatest fighters in the world, and whatever happened between him and The Real Tarzann in the gym, their dispute belongs in the Triller Fight Club ring with gloves on. We look forward to seeing who prevails,” said Ryan Kavanaugh, co-owner of Triller Fight Club, parent company TrillerNet.
Triller announced Belfort and Holston will settle their dispute on the next Triller Fight Club featuring undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos on June 19.
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YouTuber Brawls With Ex-UFC Champ in Viral Video [WATCH]