A middleweight rematch between former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort is set for March’s UFC 197, according to a report from Jornal O Global on Sunday. UFC officials have yet to confirm the news, however UFC President Dana White told fans last week at a Q&A they were targeting the fight at that time.
Report: Anderson Silva meets Vitor Belfort in rematch at UFC 197
After suffering back-to-back losses to current champion Chris Weidman in 2013, Silva (33-6, 1 NC) made his return to the Octagon earlier this year against Nick Diaz in the headliner of UFC 183 and picked up a unanimous decision victory. The bout was overturned to a no-contest, however, as Silva tested positive for banned substances and was later banned for one year, retroactive to his Jan. 31 bout with Diaz.
Belfort (25-11) made his return to action earlier this year in a title bid against Weidman, but lost via devastating first-round TKO. The former 205-pound titleholder rebounded successfully earlier this month, though, with a first-round TKO over the legend Dan Henderson in a trilogy matchup.
Although the card placement for the pay-per-view card hasn’t been confirmed, Silva vs. Belfort II will likely be the main event.
UFC 197 takes place live from the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on March 5.
