Vitor Belfort Compares MMA to Slavery, Says Triad Combat Has Potential to Be Olympic Sport

After a knockout win over Evander Holyfield in an exhibition boxing match last September, Vitor Belfort is scheduled to make his combat sports return against another boxing champ, Chad Dawson, at Triad Combat 2 on Feb. 26 in Houston.

At recent press conference for Brazilian media, Belfort revealed that Oscar De La Hoya was the first opponent option, but “The Golden Boy” refused the bout.

“We were scheduled to fight when [De La Hoya] got sick, and Holyfield accepted the invitation. As soon as the invitation to Triad 2 came, we first tried Oscar, but there was no way to convince him, so we got Dawson,” Belfort said.

Triad MMA features a hybrid of boxing and MMA, but knees, kicks and elbows are not allowed in the fights. According to Belfort, Triad is the first event not to favor either side.

“We are not going to fight boxing with them and they are not coming to take kicks in the face from us,” he said. “And the format of the ring is good for both. They are more used to ropes and we are more used to sides [such as in an Octagon]. Also boxing doesn’t have head fighting, hand fighting and the clinch.  I'm sure that if MMA fighters like [Junior dos Santos] and myself work on that, we will take advantage of that aspect.”

Belfort hopes to bring a Triad Combat event to Brazil in the near future.

“I said 25 years ago that MMA was coming to stay, many people from media criticized me and (TV station owner) Silvio Santos didn’t want to listen to me back then. He could be even richer,” Belfort said. “I ask you guys to listen to me again: Triad has come to stay and bring the fighters what they need. Brazil deserves to have its first Triad event in 2022.”

During the press conference, Belfort also addressed the heavily criticized MMA payment system.

“MMA is still not a sport, it’s some kind of slavery that forces all the employees to sign the contract on their terms,” Belfort said. “There is not a association to protect the fighters’ rights. Triad is going in the other direction. It’s following in the direction of Olympic sports.

“Triad is a new sport that is here to stay and not to compete with anyone. The guy who does MMA can do the Triad, the wrestler can do the Triad, judo fighters can compete in Triad. So welcome everybody. I truly think everybody will come and soon Triad will be an Olympic sport.”