Former middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva is being targeted for a return to action against rising star Israel Adesanya at UFC 234 in Australia on February 9th.
The 43-year-old Silva will be returning to the cage for the first time in almost two years after having serving a year’s suspension due to a failed drug test prior to a subsequently scrapped fight with Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night 122 in November of 2017.
Silva was facing the prospect of a longer suspension, having tested positive for steroids in the past, but he was able to prove that the failed test had come as a result of a contaminated supplement, which led to his punishment being reduced.
Silva’s last outing in the Octagon was a unanimous decision victory over Derek Brunson in February of 2017, which had marked the first time he had had his hand raised in almost four years.
Now the fighter considered to be one of the Greatest Of All-Time will go up against the 29-year-old Adesanya, a fighter many people have tipped to have the potential to be a future great.
‘The Last Stylebender’ currently holds a perfect 15-0 record and has racked up four victories in a row inside the Octagon so far, with his latest being a first round TKO win over Derek Brunson earlier this month.
Silva Vs Adesanya joins a UFC 234 card that’s still in the fledling stages of being put together, but is expected to be headlined by a middleweight title fight between current champion Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum.
