Wanderlei Silva will no longer get his long-awaited rematch with Vitor Belfort in the main event of Spaten Fight Night 2 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 27. Silva is currently waiting for a replacement.
MMA Fighting confirmed the news following a report from Spaten broadcast partner TV Globo. Belfort, who stopped Silva in a UFC match back in 1998, was forced off the card after suffering a concussion in training, Globo reported.
This marks the second time Belfort has officially withdrawn from a rematch
with “The Axe Murderer”. The Brazilian icons were scheduled to face off at UFC 147 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in June 2012, but “The Phenom” withdrew with a broken hand. Rich Franklin stepped in as a replacement and won via unanimous decision.
Silva will be making his boxing debut after a legendary 35-14-1 career in MMA. The former PRIDE champion and UFC title contender, however, hasn’t won a fight since a knockout over Brian Stann at UFC Japan back in March 2013. Silva lost his past two against Chael Sonnen and Quinton Jackson under the Bellator banner, between 2017 and 2018.
Check the updated fight card below.
- Wanderlei Silva vs. TBD — boxing
- Beatriz Ferreira vs. Maira Moneo — for IBF world lightweight belt
- Hebert Conceição vs. Yamaguchi Falcão — for Brazilian super middleweight belt
- Wanderson Barcellos vs. Thiago Silva — MMA
