Dana White Says They’re Not Hiding Vitor Belfort in Brazil Due to TRT Use

By bjpenndotcom - August 20, 2013

Dana White has often been very vocal when it comes to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) use in the UFC, chastising fighters for using the therapy. The fighters who apply for testosterone use exemption (TUE) for a fight are often shoved in to the limelight as we wait for word to come down on whether or not they have been approved to use TRT prior to their next bout.

In the case of 36-year-old Vitor Belfort, White says that the fact that three out of his last four bouts have been in Brazil doesn’t mean that they’re hiding him there to take advantage of the lax legal parameters (on this issue at least) of Brazil:

“They say [Vitor] can’t fight here because of the TRT thing and that is complete bullshit. Vitor Belfort can fight here, he can fight in Vegas, he can fight in any of these places. Whether they give him TRT or they don’t. It’s not a given that he has to give up the treatment in Vegas. The guy has been busted before. He’s had some issues and he’s going to have to go before the athletic commission and they would decide what they are going to do.”

Belfort’s only bout in the past two years that hasn’t taken place in Brazil was a short notice title fight against Jon Jones in Toronto Ontario, Canada. White insists that the rumors that Belfort is essentially trapped in Brazil when it comes to bouts, is just unsubstantiated internet nonsense:

“That doesn’t mean that he can’t fight in Vegas or that Vitor Belfort is banned from Vegas and something crazy is going to happen. Or that we’re hiding him in Brazil because he’s on TRT. That is stupid, stupid Internet shit. Vitor Belfort is a big draw in Brazil so he fights in Brazil. Same thing with Aldo and a lot of these other Brazilian champions. If any of you have ever been to Brazil, Brazilians want to see Brazilians kick other people’s asses, not other Brazilian’s asses.”

As for his next bout, Belfort is rumored to be taking on fellow brazilian Lyoto Machida in Las Vegas, Nevada at UFC 167, although that fight has not been made official.
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