UFC 142 Results: What Vitor Belfort Did Right Against Anthony Johnson

UFC 142 was quite the homecoming for Vitor Belfort. 

Controversy surrounded his fight with Anthony Johnson, thanks to Johnson missing weight badly at one of the worst weigh-ins in UFC and MMA history. 

Thankfully for Belfort and fans alike, the fight was still able to go on after Johnson weighed in at 204lbs the day of the fight. 

After overcoming adversity early on in his fight with Anthony Johnson, Belfort was able to turn things around and submit him late into the first round. 

Here's a look at the things Belfort did right against Johnson. 

Stayed Calm Under Pressure

Belfort had to deal with two types of pressure last night. 

First was fighting in his birth place of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the very first time in his career. 

The second was from Anthony Johnson scoring multiple takedowns and throwing reckless strikes. 

Belfort was able to overcome both as he remained calm through out the fight. 

He Went for a Submission

If there's one thing Belfort isn't usually known for, it's submitting guys. 

In fact, Belfort's submission over Johnson was his first in 10 years. 

Despite this, Belfort is still a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt. 

Belfort made the right call going for the submission, as Johnson had lost twice before by submission, and perhaps caught him off guard by going for a choke. 

Cut Weight Properly

Much like Johnson, Belfort had to cut a bunch of weight in a short amount of time in order to make the 185-pound weight limit. 

The difference between the two is the fact that he did it properly. 

Johnson seemed gassed as the fight went on. 

Belfort, on the other hand, had the energy to put Johnson out even after Johnson took him down multiple times. 

He Picked the Right Time to Strike

With Johnson playing the role of the aggressor for much of the fight, Belfort had to pick the right moment to strike. 

That time came when Belfort was able to stuff a desperation takedown from Johnson. 

Belfort caught Johnson with some punches following the missed takedown. 

Instead of usually swarming, Belfort saw an opening to go for a submission. 

He Never Got Discouraged

Throughout the pre-fight drama with Anthony Johnson, Belfort could have easily lost focus. 

Instead, he stuck to his game plan and remained calm. 

Belfort took a good shot that left him with a swollen eye during the fight, and was possibly losing the fight after getting taken down multiple times. 

Belfort kept his game face on, though, and ended up with the submission victory. 

Belfort can now focus on coaching against Wanderlei Silva on The Ultimate Fighter Brazil.