Nigerian born Kiwi Israel Adesanya's ascension to the top of the UFC middleweight division has hit fast-forward with confirmation he will fight one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
'The Last Stylebender' will share the Octagon with former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva who will be returning from a two-year layoff.
- Israel Adesanya earns first-round knock-out of Derek Brunson in New York City
- Kiwi Israel Adesanya is 'the future' of UFC, says president Dana White
UFC boss Dana White confirmed on Saturday (NZT) the 185-pound contest is expected to serve as the UFC 234 co-main event on February 10.
43-year-old Silva hasn't fought since a decision win against Derek Brunson in February 2017. He failed a random drug test in October 2017; however, the United States Anti-Doping Agency ultimately ruled the positive test was caused by a contaminated dietary supplement. Silva agreed to a one-year suspension.
Long considered the greatest fighter of all time, Silva (34-8) has just one win in the past five years. The Brazilian had held the record for most consecutive UFC title defenses until flyweight Demetrious Johnson broke the mark in October 2017.
The 29-year-old Kiwi is coming off a breakout year in 2018.
Adesanya (15-0) made his UFC debut in February and has rattled off four wins, including a sensational first-round knockout over Brunson at UFC 230 in November.
The UFC 234 pay-per-view event will take place at Rod Laver Arena. A middleweight title fight between Robert Whittaker (20-4) and Kelvin Gastelum (15-3) is scheduled to headline.
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