There are several potentially entertaining bouts on the UFC 183 fight card, but the biggest storyline coming into the pay-per-view is the return of former middleweight champion Anderson Silva from a broken leg.
Silva will square off with former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz in one of the most anticipated matchups imaginable. With neither man shying away from talking trash and showing his arrogance in the Octagon, this has the potential to be a wild night.
Here is the full UFC 183 fight card, the predicted winners and a breakdown of the main event.
Breaking Down Silva vs. Diaz
On paper, the matchup between Silva and Diaz is one of the most unique and intriguing battles imaginable.
While many mixed martial arts fans thought the UFC would feed Silva an easy opponent after returning from a broken leg, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Diaz is one of the most unpredictable fighters in the sport and will not be afraid of Silva’s mystique.
Diaz will be looking to cement his legacy by taking The Spider down.
Silva last fought at UFC 168 in December 2013. During his rematch against Chris Weidman, he broke both his left fibula and tibia bones, and the fight was immediately stopped. After months of rehab and training, Silva has ignored those who said his career was over and has made his triumphant return.
When asked on a recent conference call about how he feels heading into the fight with Diaz, Silva told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, “I’m faster, stronger and happier. And UFC is giving me one more chance to show my job and what I can do inside the Octagon. I go to work. [I’m going] to show you, for my fans … my talent.”
Even UFC President Dana White shared his excitement for this matchup:
Not to be outdone, Diaz is making his first in-ring appearance since losing to Georges St-Pierre in March 2013. The 31-year-old fighter is coming back in great shape, and he will look to steal the spotlight from his challenger.
Silva and Diaz have very different styles. While Silva loves to be methodical and pick his challengers apart with precision strikes, Diaz throws an incredible amount of punches and has some of the best endurance in the sport.
Silva must be cautious around the punches and kicks of Diaz after getting knocked out by Chris Weidman for the title, but there is a major power difference. If the former UFC champion is truly focused on his match, Diaz will be in serious trouble.
Predicted Outcome: Silva def. Diaz via third-round TKO.
*Stats via UFC.com.
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