Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz Headlines UFC 183 on January 31

By John Heinis on Thursday, July 31st 2014
Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz Headlines UFC 183 on January 31

One of the biggest UFC non-title fights in recent memory has been booked to headline of the company’s first events in 2015.

UFC President Dana White announced on ESPN’s SportsCenter Tuesday night that former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz will square off with ex-UFC middleweight kingpin Anderson Silva at UFC 183.

The event will take place at a venue to be announced on January 31.

Rumors of a matchup between Diaz and Silva, both of which are on two-fight losing streaks, have been circulating for months, though rumors started to heat up last week when Diaz signed a three-fight contract extension with the company.

The bout marks the first time Diaz steps inside the Octagon in nearly two years, claiming he was hanging up the gloves up for good after a lopsided decision loss to then-titleholder Georges St-Pierre at UFC 158 in March of last year.

The Stockton bad boy insisted he would not return unless he got a rematch with GSP, a fight with Silva or a six-figure payday and he has now achieved at least one of those goals.

Ed Soares, Silva’s manager, said earlier this year that his star client would be interested in fighting Michael Bisping, Cung Le or Diaz upon his return.

“The Spider” also gets his wish, as he meets a career welterweight in Diaz 26-9(1), who has fought at a 180-pound catchweight just twice in his career.

January 31 will mark the first time he competes at middleweight.

Silva also returns from a long layoff, as he has spent the better part of this year rehabbing from a horrific broken leg he suffered against champ Chris Weidman at UFC 168 in December.

While the fight will undoubtedly sell, was Silva vs. Diaz the right call from a matchmaking perspective?

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