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On this day at UFC 13: The Ultimate Force, held in 1997, rising star Vitor Belfort delivered a statement performance in the main event.
Fresh off his dominant run as the UFC 12 heavyweight Tournament champion, after defeating Scott Ferrozzo in less than a minute, the 20-year-old phenom took on seasoned brawler Tank Abbott in a highly anticipated clash. But this fight didn’t last long either.
On This Day: Vitor Belfort Destroyed Tank Abbott Inside 60 Seconds at UFC 13
Belfort, known for his lightning-fast hands and explosive power, overwhelmed Abbott with a brutal flurry of punches, securing a first-round TKO and further solidifying his status as one of MMA’s most dangerous young prospects at that time.
This victory was a defining moment in Belfort’s early career, as he continued his meteoric rise through the heavyweight ranks. And of course, he would later become exactly what he promised to be: a UFC champion, when he defeated Randy Couture at UFC 46 in 2004. Once again, landing another knockout victory inside a minute.
At this period in the Brazilian’s career, Belfort was deadly. But there are plenty of MMA fans that refuse to give him credit because they believe he was on performance enhancing drugs during his dominant run in both the UFC and Pride.
Couture was also involved in the UFC 13 event. The American defeated Steven Graham in the heavyweight final to become the UFC 13 heavyweight Tournament champion.
Another fellow UFC legend featured on this UFC 13 card as Tito Ortiz made his UFC debut. However, Ortiz would eventually suffer his very first defeat in just his second professional fight after Mezger submitted him via a guillotine choke.
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