AVN Touches Base With Team Belfort at UFC 49

AVN traveled with director Rick Shameless to the most recent Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC 49: Unfinished Business, which pitted Brazilian superstar Vitor Belfort against Randy Couture in a light-heavyweight title fight at the MGM Grand.

Shameless works closely with Team Belfort, supplying gear from the fighter's clothing sponsor, RVCA. A surf-and-skate apparel company based in Costa Mesa, Calif., RVCA outfits several professional athletes, including former UFC welterweight king B.J. Penn.

We delivered the custom black robe that Belfort wore for his walk to the Octagon on the night of August 21, and also brought his fight team their limited-edition Belfort fight shirts.

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(courtesy: Dan Miller)

Before more than 12,000 fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, reigning champ Belfort, nicknamed "The Phenom," lost his title to Couture when the referee stopped the bout in the third round due to a cut above Belfort's eye caused by a head butt. Officially, it was a TKO victory for Couture, the only two-division champion in the UFC's 11-year history.

Belfort is expected to return to action in December, facing former light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz, from Huntington Beach, Calif., at UFC 51 in Japan. But first Ortiz will meet Guy Mezger for the third time — they are 1-1 — at UFC 50 in Atlantic City, N.J., in October. Ortiz went to the event wearing a shirt under his jacket reading, "Mezger Is My Bitch."

During the trip, we also caught part of the latest round of competition in the search for the first Palms Girl.