Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen will finish off their trilogy in a boxing ring

Per Ariel Helwani, the bout will be fought at 216 pounds and consist of five two-minute rounds. National Boxing Council Brazil president Geyza Caryny told MMA Fighting on Monday that it will be an exhibition fight and not a sanctioned professional one.

Silva and Sonnen were part of one of the more memorable rivalries in UFC history. The duo fought twice between Aug. 2010 and July 2012 — both times for the UFC middleweight title — with Silva besting Sonnen each time.

The first fight at UFC 117 — a bout that Sonnen dominated for four-and-a-half rounds but loss via triangle choke in the fifth round — will be inducted into the fight wing of the UFC Hall of Fame on Aug. 8 as part of the class of 2024.

Silva won the rematch two years later via TKO due to knee strikes in the second round of their UFC 148 main event.

A veteran of 49 mixed martial arts fights, Sonnen (31-17-1) has zero boxing experience, while Silva (34-11-0, one no contest) has five pro bouts on his resume. He’s 3-2 in those fights with wins over Tito Ortiz, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Julio Cesar De Jesus. 

Silva’s most recent boxing match came in October 2022 when he lost a unanimous decision to Youtuber Jake Paul.