Triller continues to plumb the depths of MMA stardom for names to throw into celebrity boxing matches — and Vitor Belfort is the latest fighter to turn up.
The boxing promotion, known for bringing the likes of Jake Paul to the combat sports masses, has booked Belfort (26-14, 1NC MMA, 1-0 boxing) against “The Real Tarzann” Mike Holston (0-0) on June 19. The lopsided match — Holston appears to have zero professional fighting experience — will be part of the Teofimo Lopez vs. George Kambosos Jr undercard.
Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champ and UFC 12 heavyweight tournament winner, has not fought since 2018. That UFC 224 bout saw him lose via front kick to Lyoto Machida. Following the loss, Belfort announced his retirement, but he would later sign on with Asian MMA promotion ONE Championship. “The Phenom” has yet to debut for ONE, however, at least in part due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Instead, Belfort will step into the boxing ring against “The Real Tarzann,” whose claim to fame appears to be a riff on the late, great Steve Irwin, a.k.a. The Crocodile Hunter. With 6.1 million followers on Instagram, however, it’s doubtful Triller is thinking much past the potential audience that awaits the celeb vs. MMA star duel. At 44-years old, Belfort is getting pretty long in the tooth — but it’s easy to see the danger he poses to Holston.
ESPN was first to report news of the fight, which was later confirmed by Triller in a press release. A rather manufactured looking confrontation between the pair, caught on video, also made the rounds online.
