On a night that saw a Brazilian legend return to his home country, his American adversary seized the limelight.
Kelvin Gastelum brought a bitter end to Vitor Belfort's homecoming, following up a knockdown with a barrage of punches for the TKO just 3:52 into the middleweight main event of UFC Fight Night 106 in Fortaleza on Saturday.
Here's the TKO finish by @KelvinGastelum #UFCFortaleza pic.twitter.com/dzn1LFVTic
— #Dizz © (@TalkMMA) March 12, 2017
The 10th-ranked Gastelum improved his middleweight record to 4-0 and extended his win streak to three with his second straight knockout win. Following the stoppage, he challenged another Brazilian luminary, Anderson Silva, to a June dance at UFC 212 in Rio de Janeiro.
As for Belfort - the No. 9 middleweight heading into Saturday's bout - the living legend revealed post-fight that he has one bout remaining on his UFC contract, and intends to see it through on the same card in Rio.
"The Phenom" proved his hands are just as frighteningly fast as when he joined the UFC as a 19-year-old two decades ago, keeping Gastelum on his heels with a handful of flurries in the early going. The 25-year-old didn't respect the veteran's mitts for long, and responded with a crisp combination that sent Belfort crashing to the canvas. The 39-year-old miraculously recovered from the ensuing onslaught, only to be dropped with a jab-left cross combination seconds later, at which point referee John McCarthy had seen enough.
A former light heavyweight champion, Belfort has been finished by strikes in three straight and four of his last five. He now holds a UFC record of 14-10.
