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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Wanderlei Silva is getting his wish, and Chris Leben is getting the fight he asked for after defeating Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116 last July, as the UFC announced on Monday that the two middleweights will clash at UFC 132 in July.
Though the UFC was targeting Silva for a rematch with Vitor Belfort, the Brazilian campaigned for the fight with Leben on Twitter. In his first fight since defeating Michael Bisping at UFC 110 in February of 2010, Silva will look to have an all-out war with "The Crippler."
"Two fan favorites will go to war as Chris 'The Crippler' Leben has verbally agreed to face Wanderlei 'The Axe Murderer' Silva in Las Vegas July 2nd," said UFC President Dana White.
Leben returns to action six months after getting finished by Brian Stann at UFC 125. Leben put together a three-fight win streak in 2010, highlighted when he defeated Akiyama with a third round triangle choke submission just two weeks after finishing Aaron Simpson at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale.
UFC 132 airs live on pay-per-view from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 2, and will feature UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz as he defends his belt for the first time against Urijah Faber.
Penick's Analysis: This will be a fun and violent fight, but it's also going to be a bit scary to watch. Both of these fighters have taken ridiculous amounts of punishment through their careers, with Leben sounding especially punchy in interviews prior to UFC 125. One of these guys is going to get knocked out in this fight, and while it's going to be an entertaining fight and brawl for fans, the loser should very seriously consider walking away, because seeing them take further abuse past a knockout loss in this fight will be cringe-inducing.
[Wanderlei Silva art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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