Brandon Vera to fight Thiago Silva
Light heavyweight Brandon Vera will get a chance to exact revenge on Thiago Silva at UFC on FX 3 in Fairfax, Va., UFC president Dana White said Thursday.
The rematch is tentatively scheduled for May 15.
"Their last fight ended up a no contest and both guys are out to prove that they are the better man," White said on UFC.com.
During the first meeting on Jan. 1, 2011, Silva handed Vera the worst beating of his professional mixed martial arts career. Vera was completely overwhelmed in the fight and suffered a badly disfigured broken nose.
Silva was initially awarded a unanimous decision win and Vera was released by UFC. But the bout's result would later be changed to a no contest when it was discovered that the Brazilian altered his urine test before the fight.
He would later admit to using a "urine adulterant when giving a sample following my fight with Brandon Vera." Silva also admitted to receiving two steroid injections in his spine before the fight to help relieve pain in his lower back.
Silva (14-2, one no contest) received a 1-year suspension for his actions. He also forfeited 25 percent of his fight purse and $20,000 of his $55,000 win bonus.
The suspension ended on Jan. 1, 2012, one year from the date of his fight with Vera.
More than a month after the loss, Vera was re-signed by UFC. He would rebound at UFC 137 in October with a unanimous decision victory over Eliot Marshall to improve his pro record to 12-5 (one no contest).
In addition to Vera-Silva, UFC announced that middleweights Tom Lawlor and Jason MacDonald have verbally agreed to meet on the Fairfax, Va., card.
Franklin McNeil covers mixed martial arts and boxing for ESPN.com. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Franklin_McNeil.
- MMA columnist for ESPN.com
- Analyst for "MMA Live"
- Covered MMA/Boxing for The Star-Ledger
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