Former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold is taking some stiff verbal shots at UFC on FX 8 opponent Vitor Belfort, questioning his manhood and the legitimacy of his testosterone replacement therapy usage.
Speaking to MMA Fight Corner, the American Kickboxing Academy Fighter had no problem putting “The Phenom” on blast:
"I think it’s a crock of s*** personally. I don’t understand it," Rockhold said of Belfort’s TRT exemption.
"I think Nevada set the standard for most of the other states. And it’s like the NBA and Baseball, if they travel overseas, they’re not going to be permitted to use steroids just because they’re overseas. I think it’s just crap. But at the same time, if they’re not going to punish him, I will. And I believe it hurts you in more ways than it helps you."
Rockhold enters the bout on the strength of a nine-fight win streak, including victories over very tough grapplers in Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza and Tim Kennedy.
However, Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight title holder, is by far the most accomplished competitor Rockhold has been matched up with before.
Don’t think for a second that’s hurting Rockhold’s confidence heading into this fight:
"I think my advantages is everywhere really. Vitor will always have fast hands, he has good power, but I pose a lot of problems myself. I’m a longer fighter, I have better kicks than him,” he stated.
“I believe my advantages are on the ground, in wrestling, in the distance in the stand up. I have plenty of ways to win this fight. And most of all, I got more heart than Vitor. I think I’m more of a man than Vitor."
Belfort returns to his native Brazil on May 18 with a 4-1 record at middleweight, with his sole loss being an embarrassing knockout at the hands of long-reigning divisional kingpin Anderson Silva at UFC 126 in February 2011.
Despite the lopsided loss, Belfort is the number 2 middleweight in the world according to the UFC’s official rankings and continues to build his case for a rematch with “The Spider.”
Will Rockhold be able to back up his trash talk or will Belfort’s quick, heavy hands be too much for the California native to handle?