It did not take long for Wanderlei Silva to get a replacement opponent for Spaten Fight Night 2 after Vitor Belfort had to withdraw from their boxing contest. In Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 27th, Silva will still don the big gloves and throw down under Queensberry Rules but instead of running things back with Belfort, he'll now be facing a former world champion within the sweet science. Acelino 'Popo' Freitas will now throw down with 'The Axe Murderer' after MMA Fighting confirmed this following a report from Spaten Fight Night's official TV broadcast partner, Globo.
It is unclear if the contest will be an official professional bout or if it will be an exhibition and the sizable weight discrepancy between the two fighters does inform that lack of clarity. Freitas has collected WBO and WBA super featherweight titles as well as cementing himself as a two time WBO lightweight champion. Conversely, Silva was the Pride FC middleweight champion and was a stalwart of the UFC's light heavyweight division. 'Popo' is one of Brazil's most acclaimed practitioners of the sweet science with 41 wins across 43 bouts with 34 knockout victories.
Wanderlei Silva vs. Vitor Belfort 2 and the 2026 re-focus
This contest will mark the boxing debut for Wanderlei Silva who has not competed in combat sports in around seven years. Silva last fought under the Bellator MMA banner against long time rival Quinton' Rampage' Jackson where the former was stopped by the latter which tied up their series at two wins apiece.
Spaten Fight Night has professed a desire to want to re-book the Silva vs. Belfort boxing bout for 2026. The timeline is a bit nebulous because it is tied to Belfort's medical situation which caused him to withdraw from this bout at month's end. The former UFC light heavyweight champion revealed on his social media that he had suffered a grade three concussion in his training camp and it is unclear when Belfort can return for this rematch with Silva.
The two previously threw down almost thirty years ago in the UFC's first ever card in Brazil where 'The Phenom' finished Silva with strikes less than a minute into the bout.
