Report: Anderson Silva Returns To Face Israel Adesanya At UFC 234
The Spider is back.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reports that former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva will return to the Octagon on Feb. 9 to face rising prospect Israel Adesanya at UFC 234.
Silva has not competed since UFC 208 in February 2017 when he defeated Derek Brunson by unanimous decision. Silva failed a United States Anti-Doping Agency drug test on October 26, 2017 prior to a scheduled bout against Kelvin Gastelum. In July 2018, USADA exonerated Silva from the failed test after finding contaminated dietary supplements. Silva agreed to serve a one-year suspension dating back to November 2017.
Adesanya is currently undefeated in MMA with a professional record of 15-0. He recently defeated Brunson at UFC 230 earlier this month, stopping the veteran with a barrage of strikes in the final seconds of the first round.
At the UFC 230 post-fight press conference, Adesanya called Silva his idol and said a fight with Silva “interests me, but we don’t have to do it.”
The bout will serve as the co-main event for UFC 234.
UFC 234 is scheduled for Feb. 9 (Feb. 10 local) at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The night will be headlined by a UFC Middleweight Title fight between champion Robert Whittaker and challenger Kelvin Gastelum. Fightful will provide live coverage of the event.
