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UFC 187 title hopefuls Belfort, Johnson form alliance after fierce fight

Blackzilians fight team has two shots at winning first UFC gold on Saturday

Vitor Belfort UFC 142

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Vitor Belfort, from Brazil, left, fights Antony Johnson, from the US, during their middleweight mixed martial arts bout at UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. Belfort defeated Johnson with a rear naked choke in the first round.

UFC 187 Fighter Open Workouts

Anthony Johnson, the No. 1 UFC light heavyweight contender, answers questions from the media during the UFC 187 open workouts at the MGM Grand Casino on Wednesday, May 20, 2015. Launch slideshow »

Before Vitor Belfort made the final decision to relocate from Las Vegas to South Florida in order to join the Blackzilians three years ago, he probed into how the fledgling fight team would receive him.

The former two-time UFC champion’s reservations about his welcome mostly revolved around one fighter — Anthony Johnson, whom he had dispatched with a first-round submission in a fight six months prior at UFC 142. Johnson came back with a swift and decisive answer to how he would feel adding Belfort as a teammate.

“Cool,” Johnson described his reaction. “It didn’t bother me at all. He’s a great asset to any team. He has so much knowledge and wisdom in this game, why wouldn’t anyone want to have him on their team?”

Three years later, the 31-year-old Johnson considers the 38-year-old Belfort one of the fighters he most looks up to in mixed martial arts. Belfort calls Johnson one of the most valuable training partners he’s had throughout an 18-year UFC career.

Their relationship has proven mutually beneficial as they’ll have chances to bring the Blackzilians their first pair of UFC championships Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC) challenges Chris Weidman (12-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) for the middleweight championship at UFC 187 before Johnson (19-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) follows with a bout against Daniel Cormier (15-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) for the vacant light heavyweight title.

“The last guy I lost to is the co-main event and I’m the main event,” Johnson said. “To me, it shows the leaps and bounds I have been through to get to where I am.”

No one could have known the co-main event of the UFC’s second trip to Rio de Janeiro, held in January 2012, would cause a ripple effect that skipped on for years. The victory over Johnson enabled Belfort to slide into an open challenger’s spot against Jon Jones later in 2012, which was what prompted him to seek Rashad Evans’ direction and join the Blackzilians.

But the fight was even more significant to Johnson, as he recognized at the time that it had the potential to derail his entire career.

“Once I lost to Vitor, I knew everything had to change,” Johnson said.

Johnson came in 12 pounds above the middleweight limit before the bout, the fourth time he had missed weight during his first stint in the UFC. The weight issues mixed with a lackluster performance caused the UFC to terminate Johnson’s contract.

Johnson felt like he let down everyone, ranging from his family to the UFC. Belfort remembered thinking the response was harsh.

“He made my eye close pretty bad,” Belfort said. “He’s one of the toughest guys I’ve ever fought.”

Instead of letting the devastating turn of events keep him down, Johnson drew motivation from the trial. He moved to his natural weight class of light heavyweight and went on a tear outside of the UFC.

Johnson won six fights in less than two years, including four by knockout, to earn a second chance. He won three more, including as an underdog to Phil Davis and Alexander Gustafsson, upon re-signing with the UFC to fight his way into Saturday’s main event.

“When I got a chance to train with him every day and see him evolve every day, he’s a new breed,” Belfort said. “He’s a pretty scary dude.”

Johnson speaks just as highly of Belfort. Although he vows he won’t be emotionally affected by the outcome either way, Johnson fully expects the team he’s trained with since 2011 to already have one title by the time he walks out to face Cormier.

The year-and-a-half hiatus Belfort has gone through since his last fight, which was partly due to the Nevada State Athletic Commission banning testosterone replacement therapy he used, won’t matter, according to Johnson.

“That’s old news,” Johnson said. “Everyone wants to look at Vitor then. They should look at Vitor now.”

Some fighters would never feel comfortable with a past opponent as a confidant. Johnson cited inflated ego as the reason, which he can’t understand.

Belfort and Johnson are an example of the potential power generated by rivals coming together.

“He’s pretty humble as (I am) myself,” Belfort said. “You train with the strongest guys you can train with and that’s how you get better — by challenging yourself.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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