http://www.mmamania.com/2014/2/28/54...da-faces-chris
Belfort out. Machida in for UFC 173 main event.
February 27, 2014 shall go down as one of the most important dates in mixed martial arts (MMA) history.
With the Nevada State Athletic Commission's (NSAC) unanimous vote to ban Testosterone Replacement Therapy(TRT) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) offering its full support of the decision, the biggest question was how it would affect the UFC 173 main event between UFC Middleweight champion Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort.
In previous weeks, UFC President Dana White made it clear that Belfort would face Weidman with or without TRT. With today's decision, there was chatter on Twitter that there's plenty of time for Belfort to pull out with an "injury."
Since a 2012 defeat at the hands of Jon Jones at UFC 152, Belfort became the face of TRT in MMA. Belfort returned to the middleweight division and was able to score three straight knockouts to earn his second shot at UFC middleweight gold. At almost 37 years old, his career has seen a resurgence.
To say it's an unlikely story would be an understatement.
In an interview with ESPN for a piece for Outside The Lines on the subject of TRT, Belfort stated that he feels condemned for doing something that is legal. He even attempted to distract away from his TRT usage by bringing up the very true fact that many fighters are taking Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) without additional testing.
In the same breath, Belfort has also claimed that no other fighter in MMA is tested as much as him.
In speaking with people within various athletic commissions, I know that those who are granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for TRT are subjected to out of competition testing. Should any of those fighters fail a test, they'd be suspended by the commission.
At 1:15 a.m., White announced on Fox Sports 1 that Belfort has been removed from the UFC 173 bout with Weidman. Replacing "the Phenom" is former UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida. Belfort stated that he will look to end his TRT program.
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