MANILA, Philippines – The stage is set for the marquee match-up between former middleweight titleholder Anderson Silva and Michael Bisping as both fighters made weight for their 5-round encounter in the UFC Fight Night 84 headliner on Sunday, February 28 (PH Time).
Silva met the allowable non-title middleweight limit of 186 pounds, while Bisping tipped on the scales at exactly 185 pounds to receive the green light.
When the two went face-to-face on center stage, Silva and Bisping exchanged heated words and had to be separated by UFC president Dana White.
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Recognized by many as the greatest mixed martial arts competitor, Silva (33-6, 1 NC) was last seen inside the Octagon when he scored a lopsided decision victory over Nick Diaz in January of this year.
However, Silva’s unanimous decision win over Diaz was overturned to a no contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission when multiple banned substances were found in the 40-year-old Brazilian’s system.
On the other hand, Bisping (27-7) has won 3 of his last 4 UFC appearances and last competed in July 2015 when he scored a 5-round split decision triumph over Thales Leites.
The 37-year-old Englishman has the fight that he wanted for years and gets it in front of a partisan crowd as the bout against Silva takes place at his backyard of The O2 in London, United Kingdom. – Rappler.com