Vitor Belfort Says Wanderlei Silva Rematch At Mike Tyson Ranch Is “Fake News”
Six all-time great MMA world champions are rumored to collide at Mike Tyson Ranch.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Rashad Evans vs. Tito Ortiz, and Vitor Belfort vs. Wanderlei Silva will headline an event titled “Fight Club: After Dark”, according to a promotional poster. Silva shared the poster via Instagram on Sunday before deleting the post hours later. If true, the pay-per-view event is scheduled for November 21, one week before the Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. exhibition boxing match.
Think this is legit? pic.twitter.com/5I1Oq9sHY7
— Shakiel Mahjouri (@FightShakFight) August 30, 2020
Belfort exclusively told Fightful the rumored card is “fake news.”
UPDATE: Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) tells me this fight poster (originally posted by Wanderlei Silva) is “fake news” https://t.co/LFPqvLoI6N pic.twitter.com/jIP2aP9xag
— Shakiel Mahjouri (@FightShakFight) August 30, 2020
The former UFC light heavyweight champion also posted a video on Instagram, instructing Silva to stop with the fake news and start negotiating for a potential fight:
MMA Fighting provided the following translation of what Belfort said in the video:
“My team, my manager have already called (Silva), and Chatri from ONE Championship said that this fight will happen. It’s only up to (Silva) now. He has to start negotiating with (ONE). He has to start moving for this fight to happen. There’s no other way. He wants this fight, so let me give you some advice Wanderlei, get in touch with (ONE) and dedicate, brother. I’m waiting for you. Stop posting fake news and little posters and let’s fight. I’ve already accepted, you have to start moving now.”
Last month, Belfort revealed a potential rematch against Silva was being negotiated. The two first met at UFC Brazil in October 1998. “The Phenom” knocked out Silva in 44-seconds. Following Werdum’s departure from UFC, both he and Emelianenko have called for a rematch from their June 2010 Strikeforce encounter. Evans and Ortiz fought to a unanimous draw in 2007. Evans won the subsequent rematch in 2011 by TKO.
Fightful has all of your MMA needs covered. Follow us on Twitter for updates, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, lists, news updates and predictions.