Anderson Silva Set To Return At UFC 212 In Rio

Former longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva has his next fight set, as “The Spider” will take on rising contender Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 212 on June 3, 2017 in Rio De Janiero, Brazil.

The promotion officially announced the fight earlier today (March 14, 2017):

Ask and you shall receive! @KelvinGastelum gets wish, faces @SpiderAnderson at #UFC212 in ???????? Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! pic.twitter.com/jJcIaM5E6e

— UFC (@ufc) March 14, 2017

Silva last competed at Feb. 11’s UFC 208 from Brooklyn, New York where he scored a decision victory over Derek Brunson. Prior to that, the 41-year-old had lost four out of his last five bouts including losses to Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier.

Gastelum, on the other hand, is currently ranked as the No. 10 middleweight, as he has scored back-to-back stoppage victories since moving back up to 185-pounds. The former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) winner finished Tim Kennedy this past December before scoring a brutal TKO victory over Vitor Belfort in the main event of last weekend’s UFC Fight Night 106.

UFC 212 is set to be headlined by a featherweight title unification bout between Jose Aldo and Max Holloway.