Anderson Silva set for May boxing return, facing Bruno Machado in Dubai

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is returning to the boxing ring in May.

The 46-year-old was released from the UFC in November 2020 following a three-fight losing streak. Following his release, promotions such as Bellator and ONE Championship shared that they had zero intentions of having Silva fight for them.

With that in mind, the former champion returned to boxing. Silva had previously fought twice in the sport, going 1-1 before his UFC run. He was quickly set for a fight with former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Despite being a massive underdog, Silva shocked the combat sports community by dominating the boxer. ‘The Spider’ won the bout via decision and returned to the ring that September against Tito Ortiz.

Anderson Silva KO’s Tito Ortiz

Once again, Silva dominated. This time, scoring a brutal first-round knockout over the former UFC veteran. After two destructive victories in the boxing ring, the former UFC champion became a sought-after opponent. Both Jake, and Logan Paul were linked to fights with Silva.

However, both those bouts didn’t come to fruition. Having been out of the ring since September, fans wondered where Silva was. Well, they now have their answer, as the former champion is set to return in May.

The 46-year-old is going to be facing MMA fighter, Bruno Machado, in an eight-round contest at 194-pounds. The Brazilian holds a 13-9 record in MMA and is coming off a stint in UAE Warriors.

The news was broken earlier today by TMZ Sports. The card itself will be headlined by an exhibition match between Floyd Mayweather and Roy Moore. The event will be held on top of the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai. Also on the card will be a former light-heavyweight champion, Badou Jack.

What do you think about Anderson Silva returning to boxing? Do you think the former UFC light heavyweight champion will be victorious?