LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 31: Anderson Silva waits for the start of a middleweight fight against Nick Diaz during UFC 183 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on January 31, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Silva won by unanimous decision. Steve Marcus/Getty Images/AFP
Enter the Spider.
According to an ESPN report, Anderson Silva was tapped to replace Jon Jones in the UFC 200 card a day after the latter was cut due to drug test violations for his fight against Daniel Cormier.
UFC 200’s main event, however, will become a non-title fight.
As per ESPN, Silva would still require a final medical clearance from the Nevada State Athletic Commission but Dana White and the UFC expect the former middleweight champion to be cleared.
Miesha Tate’s defense of her bantamweight title against Amanda Nunes has been elevated to the main event while Brock Lesnar’s fight against Mark Hunt will be the co-headliner.
Silva hasn’t won in the UFC since 2012 and after he lost his title to Chris Weidman in UFC 162. It has been a streak of four winless matches for arguably the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in history.
He has fought in the light heavyweight division two times, though, and in both occasions came out victorious.
Silva knocked out Forrest Griffin at UFC 101 and scored a technical knock out win over Stephen Bonnar at UFC 153, which was his last win.