UFC Hall of Famers agree to boxing rematch nearly three decades in the making

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 12:23 PM ET

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A pair of UFC Hall of Famers have agreed to meet in the boxing ring nearly 27 years after they first fought in MMA.

It’s been a relatively quiet year in terms of high-profile MMA fighters making the jump to the boxing ring, although UFC parent company TKO is set to make its first foray into the sport in September when Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford meet in Las Vegas.

It certainly won’t command the same kind of attention from much of the combat sports world, but two weeks after Canelo and Crawford square off two Brazilian MMA legends will reportedly enter the ring in Sao Paulo.

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Vitor Belfort & Wanderlei Silva Agree To Boxing Rematch

According to the report from MMA Fighting, Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva have agreed to square off in a boxing match that will headline Spaten Fight Night 2 on September 27.

Hardcore fans may remember that Spaten Fight Night 1 took place in June of last year and featured an exhibition boxing match between former UFC rivals Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen. The fight ended in a draw, as it wasn’t being scored by ringside judges.

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The boxing rematch on September 27 will see Silva and Belfort meet just shy of 27 years after their first fight at UFC 17.5: Ultimate Brazil, which took place in October 1995 and saw Belfort stop his countryman with strikes in 44 seconds.