Iconic former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will take on one of his most famous foes for a final time next month.

The legendary fighter insists that he won’t be retiring from competition, despite turning 49 last month and taking two years out of the ring. But on June 15 he will have his last fight in his native Brazil in front of a select crowd numbering in the hundreds.

Silva was last out in October of 2022 when he fought Jake Paul in Arizona. He was impressive on the night and was arguably winning the fight until he was dropped and lost a narrow points decision to the YouTube star.

Anderson Silva confirms trilogy fight with Chael Sonnen in the boxing ring

The greatest feud of Silva’s legendary career in the UFC was against the enigmatic American Chael Sonnen, whom he faced in 2010 and 2012. The wrestler used his wit and trash-talking ability to speed through the middleweight rankings and build an intense rivalry that garnered record crowds.

And despite Silva winning both of their meetings by stoppage, the pair are going ahead with a trilogy, 12 years after their last meeting. This time, however, they will box in a five-round professional bout at a weight of 216lb with two-minute rounds.

Silva had initially teased a fight with Hollywood star Terry Crews, with the pair even appearing to verbally agree on social media. But the promotion Spaten Fight Night revealed that it was a publicity stunt, and later named Sonnen as the actual opponent for what is being billed as the legend’s ‘Grande Finale’.

Sonnen dominated Silva in their first meeting at UFC 117, but in the fifth round with seconds left on the clock he was caught in a submission and lost in a bout that was recently entered into the UFC Hall of Fame.

Their rematch was actually being eyed for Brazil, as Sonnen headed to Silva’s home country to film a season of The Ultimate Fighter. But due to safety concerns after his intensive promotional campaign, the bout was moved back to the United States at UFC 148, with Silva winning by KO.