Triller fights all conducted as exhibitions, knockout wins not added to Vitor Belfort or Anderson Silva’s records
Vitor Belfort finished a legend in Evander Holyfield and Anderson Silva scored a stunning knockout over Tito Ortiz at Triller Fight Club this past Saturday night but it turns out neither win will officially be added to their resumes.
According to the Florida State Boxing Commission, all of the bouts that happened at the Triller event were conducted as exhibitions rather than professional fights.
“The fights Saturday were conducted as exhibitions,” a spokesperson from the commission told MMA Fighting on Monday. “The records will not count and will not be official.”
News of the fights being considered exhibitions was first reported by boxing journalist Dan Rafael on Sunday.
The card was originally scheduled to take place in California but Belfort lost his opponent when former multi-time champion Oscar De La Hoya was forced out of the main event after he contracted COVID-19. Triller was then able to secure Holyfield as a replacement but the California State Athletic Commission would not approve the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion for a license on such short notice due to his advanced age.
The entire event was then shifted to Florida after the commission there approved Holyfield for competition once they received all the necessary medical clearances. At that point, the FSBC approved Belfort vs. Holyfield while adding that the bout could be conducted as either a professional fight or an exhibition.
It turns out Triller opted for the latter, which means Belfort’s first-round finish against Holyfield won’t be added to his record.
It’s not clear why all of the fights were ultimately conducted as exhibitions—which includes Silva’s staggering knockout over Ortiz after the legendary Brazilian blasted “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” with a pair of punches early in the first round that put an end to the contest—rather than official fights.
While the highlight reel finish will live forever, Silva won’t get to count the win over Ortiz on his resume.
The next Triller Fight Club card is expected to take place on Oct. 4 in New York with Teofimo Lopez clashing with George Kambosos Jr. in the main event with the WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring magazine lightweight titles on the line.