Sep 22, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; UFC fighter Michael Bisping before the start of his fight against fighter Brian Stann (not pictured) in the middleweight bout at UFC 152 at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

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Michael Bisping Acknowledges Vitor Belfort’s Hall Of Fame Induction, But Can’t Ignore Controversies

Michael Bisping offers respect with reservations, responds candidly to Vitor Belfort’s Hall of Fame induction!

When fighters step into the octagon, they are not just battling for wins and losses, they are also settling personal scores. The relationship between Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort perfectly captures this complex dynamic, where professional respect and personal animosity can somehow coexist in the same conversation.

The bad blood between these two fighters goes back over a decade to their 2013 encounter at UFC on FX 7. That night, Belfort landed a devastating head kick that not only knocked out Bisping but also changed his life forever. The kick detached Bisping’s retina, ultimately costing him vision in his right eye. What made this injury even more bitter for Bisping was the fact that Belfort was using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) at the time. This was a legal but controversial practice that many fighters viewed as sanctioned cheating.

10 years ago today, TRT Vitor Belfort changed Michael Bisping’s life forever

https://t.co/geAbzaz6Bn
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) January 19, 2023

Michael Bisping Reacts To Vitor Belfort’s Hall of Fame Announcement

Despite their bitter history, Bisping surprised many when he agreed to participate in the Hall of Fame video package celebrating Belfort’s achievements. When UFC officials offered to excuse him from the tribute due to their obvious bad blood, Bisping declined their courtesy. He chose to acknowledge what Belfort accomplished inside the octagon, even while maintaining his personal feelings about the man himself.

“Was he a massive cheater? Of course. Did he take a lot of steroids? Of course. Were there a lot of other people doing that at the same time. Absolutely there was. So, I was like, ‘I get it.’ But then, when I thought about it, I thought, ‘I lost an eye because of this guy. He can stick his Hall of Fame up his ass. But he does deserve it. He does deserve it. You can’t deny what he did inside the octagon. You just can’t deny it. Going back all the way to when his UFC debut was, if that’s not a Hall of Fame career, I don’t know what is. Whether you like it or not, he deserves it.”

Michael Bisping holds no ill will toward Vitor Belfort getting a place in the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.

"I lost an eye because of this guy. … But he does deserve it. You can't deny what he did inside the octagon."

(via @MikeBohn) pic.twitter.com/MEdwt2HADf
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) May 27, 2025

Yet even after expressing his raw feelings, the former middleweight champion circled back to professional respect. He admitted that regardless of personal animosity.The situation highlights how MMA’s history is filled with these complicated legacies, where outstanding achievements often come tangled with controversial circumstances.

Vitor Belfort’s Career Summary

When the UFC announced Vitor Belfort’s induction into the 2025 Hall of Fame Pioneer Wing at UFC 315, it brought all these old emotions flooding back for the old fans of the sport. Belfort’s career achievements are undeniable. He became a champion at just 19 years old and came incredibly close to holding titles in three different weight classes.

Belfort also captured the light heavyweight title by defeating Randy Couture at UFC 46, though he lost it back to Couture in their immediate rematch. Throughout his career, he challenged for titles multiple times across different weight divisions, establishing himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA history. His explosive style and knockout power made him a fan favorite and a legitimate threat to anyone who stepped across from him.

(Image Credit: Tom Szczerbowski – Imagn Images)

Michael Bisping

Vitor Belfort

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!