The super-fight that has been long talked about between former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz is now a done deal.
UFC President Dana White broke the news on Sportscenter on Tuesday.
“The fight that the fans have been waiting for, the fight that the fans have been screaming for … we have made Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz, Jan. 31 in Las Vegas,” White said today on “SportsCenter.” “It will be the main event, and it will be five rounds.”
BREAKING: Dana White says #LIVEonSC Anderson Silva is healthy and will return to @UFC to fight Nick Diaz on Jan. 31. pic.twitter.com/DiLGfqOEVB
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 29, 2014
Silva (33-6) has not stepped foot inside the Octagon since his UFC 168 rematch loss to Chris Weidman. In the second round, “The Spider” threw a leg-kick which was checked by the champ and that was all she wrote. Fast-forward seven-months and Silva is ready to train and get back inside the Octagon one-year later.
Diaz (26-9, 1NC) just signed a new three-fight contract with the organization earlier this month. The former Strikeforce Champ has not fought since his UFC 158 decision loss to Georges St-Pierre when he pretty much called it quits. This loss marked his second in a row, as he also fell short on the judges scorecards at UFC 143 for the interim title against Carlos Condit.
The five-round main event will take place at UFC 183 at an unnamed venue in Las Vegas on January 31, 2015.