UFC 51: SUPER SATURDAY
THE BOUT
UFC 51: Super Saturday
Saturday, February 5, 2005
Distributed by Canadastar Boxing Inc.
To Canadian Commercial Locations
On Closed Circuit-Pay Per View
TITO ORTIZ TO FIGHT VITOR BELFORT IN MAIN EVENT
In a fight many Ultimate Fighting Championship® fans have waited more than three years to see, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz will step into the Octagon at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino Events Center on February 5 to fight Brazilian star, Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort in the main event of UFC® 51: Super Saturday.
Ortiz (12-4-0 in mixed martial arts) from Huntington Beach, CA, is determined to defeat Belfort (12-4-0) from Sao Paulo, Brazil, in a bout that should have taken place more than three years ago, on September 28, 2001 at the same venue, the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
Ortiz Belfort was set to be the main event of UFC 33: Victory in Vegas, but had to be cancelled two weeks prior to fight night, when Belfort sustained a serious right elbow injury while training. Vladimir Matyushenko, a tough competitor, stepped in on short notice to replace Belfort, but Ortiz was too strong and retained the UFC World Light Heavyweight championship by judge's decision. Ortiz later lost the title to Randy "The Natural" Couture at UFC 44: Undisputed.
In the meantime, Belfort recovered from his injury and went on to defeat Couture to win the championship belt at UFC 46: Super Natural. Belfort caught Couture with a glancing left hook in the first 30 seconds of the fight that opened a deep cut under Couture's left eye. As the fighters clinched, referee John McCarthy stopped the fight at the :48 mark so Nevada State Athletic Commission doctors could check the cut. Couture suffered a corneal abrasion that impaired his vision and NSAC doctors advised that Couture could not continue.
Couture's eye injury healed and he returned to recapture the championship belft from Belfort at UFC 49: Unfinished Business.
Each fighter now hopes to improve his future by winning this big match from the past, one that fans have talked about, dreamed about, and hoped would take place ever since its disappointing cancellation. It has been three-plus years in the making, but it is here now. Both fighters are already promising a swift and decisive victory, and fans are anxiously waiting to see this dream match-up take place.
The remaining all-star bonus of UFC 51: Super Saturday will be announced shortly.
Read about UFC's reality television show premiering in January.
