Vitor Belfort Is Nothing More but a Stepping Stone for Anthony Johnson

At UFC 142, Vitor Belfort will welcome Anthony Johnson to the middleweight division. 

While in the welterweight division, Johnson was one of UFC's rising stars. The only problem is Johnson had to cut a large amount of weight in order to get down to 170lbs. 

Cutting down to 185 may not be as bad for Johnson, but this bout will prove if he can have the same advantages over middleweights that he's had over welterweights. 

He will have a huge test in front of him as he takes arguably one of the best fighters in MMA history in Belfort. Belfort is known for having some of the quickest hands in all of MMA. Fourteen of his 20 victories have come by knockout and have ended in the first round. 

Belfort is also a former UFC light heavyweight champion and won the UFC 12 tournament at just 19 years old. 

Although Belfort has had an accomplished career, this is Johnson's fight to win.  

If Johnson can get past Belfort, it would prove that he is finally ready to become an elite title contender. It may also prove that despite success at welterweight, middleweight was the division he should have been at all along. 

This will be the biggest test of his career. A win for Belfort, on the other hand, would not mean as much.

Johnson is a good fighter, but he has never been a champion. That's just the type of fighter that Belfort has made a career of beating. 

Also, because of the way he lost to Anderson Silva, even a good win over Johnson would not put Belfort back into the title picture. 

A win for Johnson, however could prove a new challenger for Silva is waiting in the wings.