UFC legend Anderson Silva has revealed he will have one final fight before retirement, and it has been confirmed that he will be facing one of his former opponents.
Initially, it appeared that a well-known Hollywood actor was gearing up to step into the boxing ring to face Silva, in what would have been a truly bizarre contest even in light of some recent less-than-expected contests.
Former NFL star Terry Crews is that man. Renowned for his impressive physique, he has limited fighting experience. However, he teased that he would be the man facing Silva.
Crews, famous for his roles in popular films and TV shows such as Brooklyn Nine-Nine and White Chicks, had never competed in professional combat sports, but had a background in street fighting from his youth and has trained to stay in shape.
Earlier this week, former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva hinted at one last fight in his native Brazil. Silva shared a teaser video for an event called Spaten Fight Night, suggesting a surprising opponent for his farewell.
The teaser video included a caption in Portuguese, which roughly translated reads: “Time for the Spider-Man’s Grand Finale in Brazil. And the farewell of a martial arts legend in his country had to come at a special occasion.”
“Late Fight Night. Spaten’s new fighting platform. June 15th in São Paulo And you watch it live on Globe. Can you guess who the opponent is? Tell us in the comments.”
Not long after that, it was time for a response from Crews who took to his social media to post a topless reply video in which he seemed to confirm he was up for the contest.
“Alright, Anderson Silva I’ve been training, I’m ready. June 15 I’ll see you at Fight Night in Brazil, y’all. June 15, let’s go, Anderson Silva; me, you, let’s make it happen. What? Terry Crews here, Brazil!”
After hours of confusion, it was then revealed that it wouldn’t be Crews, but instead Silva’s long-time rival Chael Sonnen that will be the opponent next month.
Silva and Sonnen met on two occasions inside the UFC, with the first fight regarded as one of the best ever and is set to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer.
The bout between the two former UFC fighters is one of many high-profile crossover bouts happening in recent times, while Mike Tyson taking on Jake Paul in July is one such event in the near future.
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