UFC 133 Fight Card: Why Vitor Belfort Could Be Back in Line for a Title Shot

After suffering a stunning front kick knockout at the hands of UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort will look to rebound from his loss at UFC 133 when he squares off with judoka Yoshihiro Akiyama.

However, August 6 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, presents an opportunity for Belfort to not only get his first win of 2011, but also possibly get back into contention for the middleweight title.

With Silva making yet another title defense, this time against Yushin Okami at the end of August, and the matchups which seem to have tied up most of the middleweight division's contenders, "The Phenom," could be staring at a possible title shot sooner rather than later.

Here are a few reasons why a win for Vitor Belfort at UFC 133 over Yoshihiro Akiyama could propel him back into title contention.

Tied Up Middleweight Division

Despite being ruled by the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, the middleweight division has more than a few budding contenders in the mix, all waiting for their shot at kingpin Anderson Silva.

What is interesting though, is that unlike the UFC's lightweight division, which is seemingly overcrowded with fighters all vying for their shot at the title, the middleweight division's pecking order is almost lined up.

With the return of the apparent No. 2 middleweight not challenging for the title, Chael Sonnen, and the bumping of former contenders like Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt out of middleweight contention for the foreseeable future, the UFC has pretty much set the stage for the next contender to emerge.

Sonnen is set to square off with fast rising star and former Marine Brian Stann at UFC 136, while Mark Munoz will take on Chris Leben at UFC 138.

Add to that the eventual bout between a returning Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Michael Bisping after their coaching stints on Season 14 of The Ultimate FIghter and Vitor Belfort could find himself perhaps two, maybe even one fight away from a rematch with Silva.

A Good Showing Against Akiyama

Despite going 1-2 since his debut in the UFC, Yoshihiro Akiyama knows how to put on a good fight.

Earning "Fight of the Night" honors in all of three of his bouts in the UFC, "Sexyama" has been entertaining to say the least.

For Belfort, the fight presents on opportunity to really put on a show and display the "Old Vitor" and defeat Akiyama in spectacular fashion.

If he happens to do so, he could end up in a future fight with perhaps a winner of Munoz/Leben/Sonnen/ Stann, or even Bisping/Miller, as fighters who end popular opponents in decisive fashion are often awarded with.

Fan Friendly Fights

For Belfort, the potential plethora of matchups available to him from those winners could be enough to get him back to a title shot, should he once again do so in decisive or dramatic fashion.

One of many who called out Michael Bisping, Belfort would make for a good match against "The Count," much like he would against Leben or Stann, especially in the standup department.

In Munoz and Sonnen, he'd put his not often seen jiu-jitsu to the test against two of the most well-decorated wrestlers in the division.

A win over any of these men is definitely enough to get his name back in the mix and a shot to be the third man to hold UFC titles in two different weight classes.