Silva Signs to Face Akiyama at UFC 116

Wanderlei Silva and Yoshihiro Akiyama are set to meet in a middleweight bout at UFC 116 on July 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The former Pride 205-pound champion released a video of himself signing his bout contract this week. Silva said he was excited to fight on his 34th birthday.

FightersOnly.com first reported of the proposed bout in mid March. Talks of the former Pride Fighting Championships champion facing Akiyama, also a major draw on the Japanese MMA circuit, have been rampant since UFC 110 in February following Silva’s 185-pound debut victory against Michael Bisping in Sydney, Australia.

Silva announced his interest in fighting Akiyama after he was told the ethnic Korean had requested the Brazilian multiple times for his next assignment with the promotion.

Silva’s UFC 110 win stalled the fighter’s slide in the UFC since returning to the promotion in December 2007. Silva is 2-3 in his second UFC run, which includes defeats to Chuck Liddell, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Rich Franklin. The 33-year-old Las Vegas resident is 3-5 overall for the promotion.

The 34-year-old Akiyama earned a split decision against Alan Belcher in his Octagon debut at UFC 100 last July. A former K-1 Hero’s light heavyweight champion, Akiyama holds key victories over Melvin Manhoef and Denis Kang.

A bout between Silva and Akiyama would generate massive interest from Japan, where both fighters had fruitful careers.