Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva will face former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz on January 31, in Las Vegas it was announced yesterday.
Speaking on ESPN’s SportsCenter, UFC President Dana White said; "The greatest of all-time Anderson Silva is back. His doctor gave him clearance to fight. The fight the fans have been waiting for, the fight the fans have been screaming for. Also back is Nick Diaz so we have made Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz Jan. 31 in Las Vegas. It will be the main event and it will be five rounds."
In a tie to get UFC fans salivating, the match-up will be a comeback to the UFC for both fighters; Silva from the
horrific leg break he suffered against Chris Weidman, and Nick Diaz from retirement following back to back losses to former welterweight champion George St Pierre and Carlos Condit.
The tie will coincide with the Super Bowl weekend in what will be a huge couple of days of sport for fans, although a venue in Las Vegas for the fight has yet to be announced.
In further news, former winner of
The Ultimate Fighter, Diego Sanchez, has called out Dubliner Conor McGregor.
Sanchez and McGregor have had something of a spat in the past, but it had simmered down recently. The temperature, however, just got ramped back up with Sanchez stating he wants to fight McGregor after the Crumlin man faces Dustin Poirier.
Speaking to
Submission Radio, Sanchez said; “I would love to fight this guy and he said he’d like to fight me too, so I definitely think it’s possible. I think he’s a great mixed (martial artist). I think he’s really talented, I think he’s really tough, I just don’t agree with people going out there and thinking that, this guy thinks he’s like the Anderson Silva, he claims that he’s the ‘GOAT,’ and I’m just like ‘C’mon man, you ain’t done enough to claim that.”
McGregor has previously stated that he would love to fight the American and ‘whoop his ass’ (his words not JOE's), calling Sanchez overweight and stating that he shouldn’t be in the UFC.
Is this fight a possibility after McGregor faces Poirier in September? Only time will tell...
Hat tip to mmafighting and SubmissionRadio.
