Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva (pictured above) will make his highly anticipated return to action for the first time since suffering a horrific leg-break during his rematch with Chris Weidman for the 185lb crown last December. The Brazilian will take on the enigmatic Nick Diaz in a middleweight contest at UFC 183, Diaz himself has not competed in over a year since losing a unanimous decision to Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title in March, 2013.
“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 ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter.’ “It will be the main event, and it will be five rounds.”
At this point in his career it’s obvious that Diaz (26-9-1NC) is no longer interested in clawing his way up the rankings and facing one contender after the next in pursuit of no.1 contender status. While UFC gold is still on his to-do list, the 30-year-old former Strikeforce champion has just about done it all in his 13-years as a professional fighter and is now after highlight match-ups with a need to keep his motivation and interest at peak levels. Having come out of retirement and signed a 3-fight deal with the UFC on July 24, it’s quite possible that potential fights have already been discussed with Diaz having given the impression of knowing exactly what his requirements are in order for a return. Some may have seen the announcement coming with Diaz having expressed an interested in fighting Silva, and the UFC teasing the contest via social media, asking fans what their thoughts would be on Silva vs Diaz.
“If (Diaz) comes in and beats Anderson Silva, absolutely, he could fight for the title,” White said. “He’s right in there. It would be a huge, huge win for him.”
Silva fans will be nervous as the former pound-for-pound king looks to get back in at the deep end. Opinion on whether or not ‘The Spider’ (33-6) should return is split with many feeling that his legacy is intact, however defeat at the hands of Weidman simply marked the end of the 39-year-old’s dominance, and that risking further losses would be detrimental to his memory.
“Anderson Silva feels great,” White said. “It will be a 13-month layoff. … He’s 100 percent healthy. He’s kicking. He feels great, and he’s chomping at the bit to get back in the octagon. He’s very excited for this fight.”
Anderson Silva photo by Mark Blundell
