UFC Lightweight champion Anderson Silva has stepped up to headline UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro, moving up to the 205lbs division to take on Stephan Bonnar according to USA Today.
The show has now been named UFC 153: Silva vs Bonnar, and the main event replaced Jose Aldo vs Frankie Edgar after Aldo was ruled out injured.
Silva was not scheduled to fight anytime soon and recently volunteered to save UFC 151 after Jon Jones refused to fight Chael Sonnen, however his message was relayed a few hours late to Dana White and it was too late.
“Anderson Silva wasn’t scheduled to fight at all. I called him today, and he’s shooting a commercial in Brazil,” Dana White told USA Today. “Anderson Silva steps up, and Stephan Bonnar wants to fight him.”
Silva’s Lightweight title will obviously not be on the line for this fight.
The co-main event, which was also canceled after Quinton “Rampage” Jackson got injured, is also back on for Glover Teixeira who is now fighting fellow Brazilian Fabio Maldonado.
