Weidman (photo Josh Hedges/ UFC/ ZUFFA)

By FCF Staff

Due to Vitor Belfort’s feared striking skills, some observers believe Chris Weidman will have to take the challenger to the mat at UFC 181, but Lyoto Machida evidently isn’t one of them.

Weidman and Belfort are set to fight in the headliner of UFC 181, which will go down on December 6th in Las Vegas. While Machida acknowledges Belfort has the ability to finish the middleweight champ, the former challenger recently relayed this to MMA Fighting.com:

“I don’t think so. Weidman is ready to fight anywhere,” said Machida, while discussing whether the decorated wrestler can hang with Belfort standing. “If he has to stand, he will. Vitor can obviously land a punch and end this, that’s what makes this sport so captivating, but I think he will be ready to fight him there.”

Machida is coming off a memorable, unanimous decision loss to Weidman at UFC 175 last month.

The undefeated Weidman (12-0) has won eight straight fights now since joining the UFC in 2011.

Belfort (24-10), meanwhile, is coming off stoppage wins over Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold and Dan Henderson. The only man to defeat the vet in his last five bouts is light-heavyweight champ Jon Jones.