Vitor Belfort fight for the first time in his hometown on Saturday against Anthony Johnson at UFC 142, and to help improve his performance, the Brazilian train Shotokan Karate with Master Vinicio Antony. With over 30 years in the sport, winning 15 national titles, a Pan-American and a 2nd place in world championship, the "Phenomenon" Karate teacher spoke to PVT and analyzed his preparation for this challenge.

"With the departure of Victor to the U.S., we have few opportunities to follow up his development with Karate, but whenever he comes to Rio, Vitor make a short season reviewing the techniques and including them in his MMA game ... even we'll have news to this fight, wait to see", said master Vinicio Antony.

He also lamented the short time they had training due to other commitments on Belfort schedule. "We had little time for preparation between trips to the broadcastof UFC on Fox, Press Conference, Christmas and so on. But anyway thanks to the excellent work done by Master Alvaro Romano (fitness), Ray Sefo (MuayThai) Gil Martinez (boxing), Mike Dolce (nutrition), Gilberto 'Durinho' (BJJ). Vitor is in great shape and ready for action. My work was to sharpen, reviewing posture and execution details of some techniques with the help of my assistant Jayme Sandal", told Antony.

Shotokan Karate master commented on Belfort facility to absorb the teachings he passed by. "Vitor is a 'sponge' and so he can develop the same lessons passed by me even without my presence, especially in timing and distance, and he incorporated these nuances to his training," said Antony Vinicio, who revealed a difficulty. "A little difficult is the fact that most of the training be done on a MuayThai base which is focused in exchange of blows, exploring least this aspect of combat."

Antony also gave his opinion on what should be the Belfort attitude  to neutralize Anthony Johnson's game and win the fight. "What I could see of Johnson's fights, he is very strong and explosive but hardly walks forward and has a guard with lots of gaps, the way is to make him seek  for Vitor inside the Octagon and at the right time, attack".

According to Antony Vincios, Belfort has matured, and is focused only on the Saturday fight, leaving the thinking of Wanderlei Silva rematch to after the fight against Anthony Johnson. "I think Vitor has all the tools to repeat the result of the first meeting, however Wanderlei is one of the greatest of all time and deserves all the respect and attention."

Another rematch that many would like to see is Belfort against Anderson Silva, as in the first fight between them, in February 2011, Spider knocked out Vitor with a front kick in the first round. "It would be a great opportunity to take away any doubts about that kick ... and if didn't reach?" Replied Antony Vinicio, who added: "The way to defeat him ... surprise him".

In his athlete career, Vinicio Antony faced a young Lyoto Machida, who was starting in karate competitions, and eventually the two became friends. He analyzed the loss of the Dragon to Jon Jones in December 2011, when he was submitted with a guillotine in the second round of the combat.

"I have a long history of friendship and respect for the Machida family, especially by the Master Machida  who was my coach for about 8 years in the national team, but I think lacked the 'Game Plan', the strategy was excellent surprising Jones with aggressiveness and power, working shifts of defense with a perfect distance, however there are the 'what if's', and it seems to me that there was no planning for some of these, like 'and if Lyoto got down under', everyone knows that beneath Jones 'rain cats and dogs' in the form of devastating elbows, half guard is the solution? An exhaustive work to get his head under Jones hip where his elbows might not reach? Maybe all this has been done up, but have been neutralized before the 'mastery' of this monster that is the current lightheavyweight champion", said Antony.