Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen once fought a UFC Hall of Fame-worthy bout, this rematch was one of the most anticipated bouts in UFC history, and now they will face off in the boxing ring.
The two UFC icons are set to complete a trilogy in a bout that Silva is billing as his final fight in his native Brazil.
Neither fighter is in their prime yet. Silva is 49 and will be stepping into a boxing ring for just the fifth time since 2021, while Sonnen, 47, will be making his boxing debut in a five-round exhibition bout.
This will be a nostalgic matchup between two former fierce rivals who have developed a healthy respect for one another over the years, and it will be the last chance for fans of either fighter to see them compete in mixed martial arts action.
Here's all the information you need to know to watch the match.
when: Saturday, June 15 at 8pm ET
where: Sao Paulo, Brazil
ticket: Vivid Sheet
preview
There's something a little surreal about this fight — Sonnen and Silva have fought each other many times before and a third bout could very well make money, but the fact that it's being fought under boxing rules feels like a strong advantage for Silva.
The Spider is one of the greatest strikers in UFC history, while Sonnen is known for his grappling prowess and a stellar amateur wrestling career.
Listening to Sonnen, it seems he couldn't have cared less about what sport the two competed in.
“That's not why the phone was ringing, but suddenly I got a call from Moms. [Taylor] In Misfits [Boxing],Thing you want to do [a fight with] Masvidal. [He asked] “Hey, what kind of ruleset? [Masvidal] “I said back on the other end of the phone, 'Let him choose.' He was scared. I said, 'Let him choose.' Masvidal's camp backed off,” he told Yahoo Sports' Ben Foulkes on Wednesday. “After that, I never heard a word. Something special happened. They backed off. They did the same with Anderson. He didn't back down. He said, 'All right, boxing rules.' And here we are.”
Boxing may not be Silva's native language, but he already has a fair amount of experience in the sport: He had two boxing bouts earlier in his career, but since 2021 he is 2-1 in official bouts, including an exhibition bout against Bruno Machado.
Silva is coming off a first-round knockout win over Tito Ortiz in October 2022 and an eight-round unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul.
Some of Silva's precise counter attacks are certainly a fine science. Sonnen's boxing has never been a strength during his UFC career. The southpaw only had eight knockout wins in his MMA career, most of which came via ground-and-pound.
prediction
Condition and investment level will be key factors in these new matchups, with both men approaching 50 and fighting outside of their comfort zones.
Silva is two years older and has been much more active in recent years, and while he's a far cry from his former self, he still retains some of the timing and skill that made him one of the most feared fighters in the world.
Sonnen, on the other hand, is coming off a lengthy break and fighting completely outside of his comfort zone, a strategy that has worked to see Silva cruise to an easy victory even without official scorecards.
The fight went on to the end and Silva was victorious.
