Vitor Belfort vs. Ronaldo Souza: Live round-by-round updates

MMA Fighting has live round-by-round updates for the boxing match between former UFC fighters, and past opponents Vitor Belfort and Ronaldo Souza at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Saturday night.

The bout will serve at the co-main event for Gamebred Boxing 4, which streams on on UFC Fight Pass and PPV.com. Check out our Jones Jr. vs. Pettis results page to find out what happened on the undercard.

Belfort and Souza fought each other when they were competing for the UFC, and Souza put Belfort away with a first-round TKO victory at UFC 198 in May 2016.

Belfort returns to the boxing ring for his first fight since stopping Evander Holyfield in the first round at a Triller event in November 2021. The 46-year-old hasn’t been active in combat sports competition as this will only be his second appearance since his final UFC fight when he was knocked out by Lyoto Machida at UFC 224 in May 2008.

Souza makes his first fighting appearance since leaving the UFC in 2021. “Jacare” lost four straight fights to cap off his octagon career, which included stoppage losses to Kevin Holland and Andre Muniz.

Check out the Belfort vs. Souza live blog below.

Round 1: Belfort and Souza look in absolutely incredible shape for this one. They touch gloves and off we go. Through 30 seconds, no punches were thrown. But Souza lands a right hand first. Belfort circling and lands a left hand to the body, followed by a right to the jaw. The respect for one another’s power is certainly visible, Belfort lands a big left hook, another, and Souza grazes with a left hand return. Belfort charges forward with a left, they exchange, Belfort gets the better of it. Final 20 seconds and not a lot of punches being thrown, to the chagrin of the crowd. Left hand from Belfort looks to sting Souza at the end. Bell rings.

MMAFighting scores it 10-9 Belfort

Round 2: No glove touch this time and they clinch up about 20 seconds in. Jacare lands a right, Belfort answers with a sharp left hand, another left lands from Belfort and they have a big exchange. Business is picking up now, Belfort lands another left, ducks under a Jacare punch and they tie up. Step-in right from Souza, who is breathing pretty heavy right now. Right hand from Souza to the body and they tie up again. Final 45 seconds, they clinch up, left hand from Belfort lands, tie-up, separation. Belfort goes to the body, they tie up, Jacare falls over — no knockdown — and that’s Round 2.

MMAFighting scores it 10-9, 20-18 overall for Belfort

Round 3: Belfort moves forward for the third and he looks like he’s going to land a big one — and he does. Left hand drops Jacare. He beats the count and they continue on. They clinch up and Belfort lands another big left that hurts Jacare again. They tie back up, wisely from Souza, and Belfort is looking to get him out of there. Big punches land from Belfort, Souza ties up again. Belfort continues to charger forward, overhand left lands and Jacare goes down again. Souza beats the count and Belfort tees off again. Souza trying to keep a tie-up, ref separates and Belfort lands another big left hand. Bell sounds. Huge round for Belfort.

MMAFighting scores it 10-7, 30-25 overall for Belfort

Round 4: Souza needs a massive turn of the tide, and fast. Souza lands a right hand and the clinches continue from Souza, who lands a right on separation, another right from Jacare. Belfort lands a right hand, big left as well. Short right from Souza in the clinch, Belfort goes to the body with a hook, Souza lands a pair of punches and is starting to turn the momentum a tad. Left hand from Souza, Belfort fires back a left of his own. Both guys are breathing heavy, but are still landing punches with all of their might. They exchange, Jacare gets the better of it, and there’s the bell. Nice comeback round from Souza.

MMAFighting scores the round 10-9 for Souza, 39-35 overall for Belfort

Round 5: Jacare smiling in the corner between rounds. After finding success in the fourth, Souza goes right back to the clinch, and continues to land punches in tight. Multiple tie-ups now, all separated, Souza misses a left hand on the break. Belfort with a pair of hard left hands that find the mark. Souza fires a big uppercut, Belfort evades and lands a shot. Left hand lands clean from Belfort, left hook in tight from Souza. Jacare lands a sneaky left, Belfort lands a massive shot and Souza eats it. They tie up against the ropes and Souza lands short punches in bunches. Belfort trying to find separation, he lands, but Jacare ties him back up and the bell rings. Souza having moments.

MMAFighting scores the round 10-9 for Souza, 48-45 overall for Belfort

Round 6: Souza first to his feet, they touch gloves and hug it out. Delightful. A lot of tie-ups and clinches to report, but a nice exchange in the middle of the ring about 35 seconds into the round. Souza lands a pair of right hands, and again in the clinch. Souza has Belfort backed up in the ropes and landing, but Belfort lands a massive left hand, Souza answers. Belfort’s left eye is a bloody mess, but he lands a massive left hand, and another, and Souza is moving backwards and initiates the clinch. Both fighters land, Souza lands a combination. They clinch, Belfort lands another left hand. Final 25 seconds as they battle near the ropes. The ref separates them again, and they tie back up, which is where the bout ends.

MMAFighting scores the round 10-9, and the fight 58-54 for Belfort

Official result: Vitor Belfort def. Ronaldo Souza via unanimous decision (58-54, 58-54, 57-55)