Brazilian icon Anderson Silva has stepped in on 48 hours notice to fight Daniel Cormier at UFC 200.
The fight, which will be a non-title bout, takes place after Cormier's bout with Jon Jones for the UFC Light-Heavyweight title was called off on Wednesday. Jones was pulled out of the event due a potential doping violation.
Cormier was originally scheduled to fight over five rounds, but the bout has been reduced to three. "Anderson is giving Daniel the opportunity to fight, to make money and to perform on UFC 200," Dana White told ESPN. "So if Anderson wants three rounds, if Anderson wants two rounds, he'll get it."
Silva is a former UFC Middleweight Champion, but is unbeaten in the heavier weight. In his three bouts, all have been first round knockouts.
Cormier vs Silva!!! #UFC200 pic.twitter.com/c2QYsgEb68
— Dana White (@danawhite) July 8, 2016
Speaking to the press in Las Vegas after the announcement was made, Silva said he was fighting on such short notice to test himself.
"I think I’m in good shape and I don’t want Daniel to thing I’m underestimating him or coming in here to try to challenge the champion. I don’t want to do that. I’m here to challenge myself. I think I haven’t trained in a few months, so now I have to go out there and put on a good fight."
The fight will now be the third-last of the event at UFC 200. Brock Lesnar's UFC return against Mark Hunt was originally scheduled to be the main event after Jones' removal, but has now been replaced by the UFC Women's Bantamweight title fight between Miesha Tate and Amanda Nunes.
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