(This story first appeared in USA TODAY.)

Saturday night’s UFC 168 event features one of the most anticipated title fights in UFC history, but one man sitting cageside in Las Vegas will be watching more intently than just about anyone else: Vitor Belfort.

Many will watch the pay-per-view broadcast (10 p.m. ET) to see if UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman can down former champ Anderson Silva for a second time. But Belfort will be watching for a different reason. “The Phenom” wants to know whom he’ll need to beat to become UFC champion.

“I don’t care who will win on Saturday, because whoever wins will already be preparing to lose,” Belfort (24-10 MMA, 13-6 UFC) told USA TODAY Sports. “That belt belongs to me.”

Fighting professionally since he was a teenager, Belfort is 36 and performing perhaps better than at any point in his career. He’s No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA middleweight rankings, behind Weidman and Silva. Yet in the past 12 months, his knockout victories against Dan Henderson, Luke Rockhold and Michael Bisping have earned Belfort serious consideration for “Fighter of the Year.”

He also appears to be in line for a shot at the title. He has vigorously campaigned for the chance during his streak.

“I conquered my space,” Belfort said. “I wanted the opportunity to fight for the belt, and here I am. The one thing the fans wanted to see is me getting the title shot. Now I am more than ready to be a world champion in another division.”

Belfort wore a UFC championship belt once before, earning the light heavyweight title in 2004 in bizarre fashion when the seam of his glove cut then-champ Randy Couture’s lower eyelid. Forty-nine seconds into the bout, the fight was waved off, and Belfort was awarded a TKO.

Belfort lost the belt in a rematch and left the promotion shortly after, taking fights around the globe for different organizations. The Brazilian returned to the UFC in 2009 and has been intent on a title victory since. He has had two opportunities, losing to Silva in 2011 and moving up to light heavyweight in 2012 in an unsuccessful bid against Jon Jones.

But Belfort has established himself as a top contender, and UFC President Dana White has hinted he will be booked to fight the winner of the Weidman vs. Silva rematch.

As far as Belfort is concerned, the suggestions might as well be a guarantee. “I don’t like this little word ‘if,'” Belfort said. “If we start adding ‘if, if, if,’ that means I wouldn’t conquer anything completely. The sweet feeling is knowing that nobody gave me anything for free. I paid the price and made my way here.”

UFC officials don’t typically announce future plans until title fights are complete. But Belfort plans to follow up a big year by kicking off 2014 with a victory against the UFC 168 winner.

“I have the most loyal fans that have been with me since I was 19 years old, when I was just a young guy becoming a world champion,” Belfort said. “I would like to say thank you to all of them. We are about to get another amazing year.

“Be ready, because I am.”

For more on UFC 168, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.