Luke Rockhold vs Vitor Belfort — Fight recap

Vitor Belfort defeated Luke Rockhold via KO/TKO in the first round at 1:32 on May 18, 2013. Belfort's striking efficiency proved decisive in the brief encounter, landing 9 of 20 significant strikes (45%) compared to Rockhold's 6 of 15 (40%), with 8 head strikes finding their mark to set up the finish.

Rockhold managed only one takedown attempt—which he failed to convert—while Belfort controlled the cage for 13 seconds and scored a knockdown en route to the knockout. The middleweight clash highlighted Belfort's superior striking speed and timing against Rockhold's wrestling-based approach, as the challenger was unable to establish his grappling game before the TKO stoppage.

The loss marked a significant setback for the rising Rockhold, while Belfort reasserted himself as a top-tier middleweight contender.