Belfort to Welcome Anthony Johnson to 185lb Division

On November1, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced that the second bout added to the first event of the new year would have hard hitting former Light Heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort welcoming powerful wrestler Anthony Johnson to the Middleweight (185-171lb) division. This will be Belfort's fourth fight in the division after dropping down from Light Heavyweight (205-186lb) while it will be only the first for Johnson who moves up from the Welterweight (170-156lb) division where he has fought his entire career. This comes as a surprise with Johnson always insisting that he would remain fighting as a Welterweight refusing to fight in any other weight class. This move up may come as necessity for Johnson's health however with him being popular among fans for cutting an enormous amount of weight just make the 170lb limit at Welterweight with his normal walk-around weight ranging around 230lbs (give or take). Even though he will be coming up in weight classes, Johnson has the possibility of becoming a formidable contender having a strong wrestling base, the reach and size that matches reigning division champion Anderson Silva, and a powerful kickboxing game that continues to improve with every fight in his still young career. Coming into this bout, Johnson could even have the advantage over Belfort having a four inch reach advantage, possibly being even stronger, and a wrestling capability that could nullify his striking. With great power, lightning fast striking, and a black belt in BJJ, Belfort could be a perfect match to test the new addition to the division.