Video: Things get nasty as Luke Rockhold lambasts 'fraud' Vitor Belfort before UFC 187

Tonight’s UFC 187 co-headliner offers Luke Rockhold a win-win situation: Either Vitor Belfort defeats middleweight champion Chris Weidman to set up a possible rematch with Rockhold, or the “fake” and “fraud” Brazilian suffers a defeat.

For Rockhold (14-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who’s ranked No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA middleweight rankings, the scenarios seem equally appealing.

So he’ll be watching closely tonight at UFC 187, where No. 1 ranked Weidman (12-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) takes on No. 2 Vitor Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC) in the pay-per-view co-headliner at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena.

When asked about Belfort during Friday’s UFC Q&A session with fans, Rockhold initially held back much of his criticism.

“I’d love to get my hands on his little chicken neck,” he said. “I’m not going to lie. We’ve been through a lot. He’s been through a lot. I’ve got to thank Vitor for making me a better fighter. I’d like to return the favor.”

But Rockhold, who suffered a brutal knockout loss to Belfort in 2013, when the Brazilian was still using the controversial and since-banned testosterone-replacement therapy, soon shifted to a harsher critique of tonight’s title fight.

“I don’t think he deserves it, I don’t think he’s going to win, and I think Weidman is a better fighter,” Rockhold said.

His comments clearly bugged a larger contingent of pro-Belfort fans, who booed his insults, but Rockhold didn’t hold back with his criticism.

“I lost a lot of respect for Vitor,” he said. “I think he’s a fake. I think he’s a fraud.

“Look, I was a big fan – I was a big fan, a huge fan. And it’s not (because) I lost to him. It’s not that I’m bitter or anything. It’s that the guy gets away with it over and over again.”

Check out the full highlights of the session above.

And for more on UFC 187, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.