Vitor Belfort vs Cung Le at UFC 139

http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/09/12/cung-le-honored-and-excited-to-make-ufc-debut-and-face-vitor-b/

Cung Le 'Honored And Excited' to Make UFC Debut And Face Vitor Belfort

After a 19-month layoff, Cung Le will finally return to fighting when he faces Vitor Belfort at UFC 139 on November 19. That's a lengthy layoff for anyone, but especially long for Le, who turned 39 years old in May. But while most lengthy periods of inactivity are the result of injury issues or contract disputes, the flashy fighter wasn't gone due to rehabilitating from surgery or holding out for more money. He was busy making films.

While he had spoken to the UFC several months ago about possibly joining them, things didn't come together for the two sides until after the UFC moved its original UFC 139 main event of Cain Velasquez vs. Junior dos Santos up one week to the UFC on FOX premiere.

That left a hole at the top of the card, and Le was more than happy to fill it.

"I feel honored and very excited," Le said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It's just nerves and everything going on. It's been pretty exciting."

Le said he wasn't quite sure how he got out of his Strikeforce deal to move over to the UFC, leaving specifis to his management, but said he originally began lobbying UFC executives Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White for the opportunity during the Zuffa "Fighter Summit" back in May.

At the time, Le was coming off the taping of back-to-back-to-back film projects and spending time with his family. He says Fertitta told him they'd look to work a fight out for him depending on his movie schedule, but nothing of substance happened until about two weeks ago, when talks were reignited. In a short time, he was approached with an offer.

"Vitor was the only one offered to me, and when they said, 'Hey Cung, we'd like you to fight Vitor,' I said yes," he said. "Go big or go home."

Le said his interest in the matchup comes from the two fighters' backgrounds. Both he and Belfort gained their reputations as strikers. All seven of Le's pro MMA wins are by knockout and prior to that, he gained renown as a pro kickboxer. Belfort, meanwhile, is considered one of the sport's all-time great knockout artists.

"We'll find out who's more dangerous come November 19," he said.

Le said he had signed a six-fight deal with UFC, but said that when it comes to his future, he plans to take things one fight at a time. Le said that in hopes of extending his career as far as it will go, he keeps himself healthy, eating well and consistently training. He also noted he hasn't had a lengthy MMA career which might have led to wear and tear on his body.

The first of those fights comes in San Jose, California, which is Le's hometown. He also trains at the city's American Kickboxing Academy gym. Last Saturday, Le was in Cincinnati and watched in person AKA's huge weekend at Strikeforce, when the gym's fighters (Luke Rockhold, Daniel Cormier, Muhammed Lawal and Mike Kyle) went 4-0. That made Le hungry to return home and get back in the gym to represent his team, and his town in the biggest fight of his career.

"It's a dream," Le said. "It's like coming full circle. My first MMA fight was in San Jose, and now my first UFC fight is going to be in San Jose. Definitely, I'm very excited about it."

Love this fight. Makes a ton of sense. No way this fight doesn't entertain, not possible. Neither guy is getting any younger. Let em swing it out.

Cung is training with AKA and he is 185% commited!!!! I love it. For the first time I'm gonna bet money on a fight and Cung is gonna win.

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Cung is training with AKA and he is 185% commited!!!! I love it. For the first time I'm gonna bet money on a fight and Cung is gonna win.

Wanna sig bet as well?

I'm not letting you jinx Cung after what I said to you about Cormier in the chat. I felt raped after that.

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

I'm not letting you jinx Cung after what I said to you about Cormier in the chat. I felt raped after that.

MWA HA HA HA HA HA HA

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Cung is training with AKA and he is 185% commited!!!! I love it. For the first time I'm gonna bet money on a fight and Cung is gonna win.

Come on....this is the same fighter who said after his last fight that he can't wait to get back to eating pizza and ice cream. The same fighter who is in the process of filming two more movies.... I am more than a skeptic on his commitment level.

I have thought about it and thought about it. I feel real bad for Cung Le. He is about to find out what real MMA is like...

Vitor is a head case and this aint Rich Franklin or Akiyama. Cung will take this fight seriously. If he has slowed severely that is one thing, but if he can still fight like he used to Belfort is done.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Vitor is a head case and this aint Rich Franklin or Akiyama. Cung will take this fight seriously. If he has slowed severely that is one thing, but if he can still fight like he used to Belfort is done.

You are 100% right. This is Rich or Akiyama. They are both waaaaaay better than Cung. Well at least Rich is. Sexyama is so-so.

Not at working angles, defending strikes, attacking with masked strikes or anticipating anything relating to a stand up attack. Standing Rich is a joke compared to Cung.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Vitor is a head case and this aint Rich Franklin or Akiyama. Cung will take this fight seriously. If he has slowed severely that is one thing, but if he can still fight like he used to Belfort is done.

when was the last time Vitor did something to warrant you calling him a headcase, you're looking at Vitor of hold... and actually you're also looking at Cung of old.

good luck with losing that money BBC

Ninja\Rua/Fan wrote:

bigbeastcardinal12 wrote:

Cung is training with AKA and he is 185% commited!!!! I love it. For the first time I'm gonna bet money on a fight and Cung is gonna win.

Come on....this is the same fighter who said after his last fight that he can't wait to get back to eating pizza and ice cream. The same fighter who is in the process of filming two more movies.... I am more than a skeptic on his commitment level.

I am sure he enjoyed some snacks afterwards, but it isn't like he was at Papa Johns and Pnikberry everyday. Almost every fighter has a bad diet day or week after a fight. Cung is in shape now and said he was before this UFC deal was signed. This is a moot point Ninja. He might be selling the fight, but don't think Cung is gonna go in out of shape in San Jose. It won't happen.


The UFC is now looking at the best striker to ever fight under their banner.

Not too mention Cung's Judo is sick and his wrestling is pretty damn good.

Sorry BBC and Wolf but Vitor is going to destroy Cung.

When have we EVER seen Cung's wrestling. If you aint WHITE & 'MERICAN you aint too dang good at wrastlin cept for ole Gee Es Pee.

Takedowns are part of Sanda though. Also apparently he was a college wrestler. He's trained at AKA for like five years.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Takedowns are part of Sanda though. Also apparently he was a college wrestler. He's trained at AKA for like five years.

That was over 20 years ago and he never faced and great takedown artist in Sanda. And this is a pointless argument because Vitor isn't looking for a takedown. He's going to find his timing and unless hell like he always does.

Vitor has an opening round blitz of speed that won't work on a fighter like Le. This would be a legacy tarnishing raping if this was even 2008. Prime Le is 100 times the striker that Prime Belfort is. Age is the only saving grace for the phenom.

2009....

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Vitor has an opening round blitz of speed that won't work on a fighter like Le. This would be a legacy tarnishing raping if this was even 2008. Prime Le is 100 times the striker that Prime Belfort is. Age is the only saving grace for the phenom.

Might have a pretty good size adv as well. Def has the power in the hands adv.

Looks epic!

This is going to be a one-sided ass beating. Lol at the attempted propping up of Cung Le. One of the best strikers ever got knocked out by fucking Scott Smith. Yeah....right. This dude has accomplished exactly DICK in MMA and he won't make it out of the first round here

bobbitt15 wrote:

This is going to be a one-sided ass beating. Lol at the attempted propping up of Cung Le. One of the best strikers ever got knocked out by fucking Scott Smith. Yeah....right. This dude has accomplished exactly DICK in MMA and he won't make it out of the first round here

man u and ur one fight argument. Spider lost to Ryo Chonan. GSP lost to Serra. both these guys are goat candidates. Singling out one fight in an attempt to downplay a fighter is awfully dishonest. especially when said fighter dominated in the rematch.