Wanderlei Silva has accepted Quinton Jackson’s challenge to a fifth fight, this time in a boxing ring, after both MMA fighters have won two matches each against each other in the past.
Wanderlei Silva, the “Axe Murderer,” is all set for another face-off with Quinton Jackson, his “archenemy.” He’s ready to step into the ring again. Jackson, also known as “Rampage,” recently expressed his interest in a rematch. He made this statement during an appearance on The MMA Hour.
Jackson’s got his eyes set on two former MMA rivals. He’s keen on boxing matches with Rashad Evans and Silva. This comes after his professional debut against ex-WBO heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs. The eight-round boxing match is scheduled for June 1 in Qatar.
Silva’s reaction to this news? He’s thrilled. He shared a video on social media, posted by Brazilian journalist Ana Hissa. He said, “I couldn’t wake up to better news.” Silva’s referring to Jackson’s upcoming “boring” debut and his intention to fight Silva for the fifth time.
Silva feels it’s only fair. After all, they’ve both had their victories. Silva knocked out Jackson twice, and Jackson beat Silva twice. So, a fifth fight, this time in boxing, seems like the next logical step.
But first, Jackson has a score to settle with Shannon Briggs. He’s determined to “knock Shannon’s big-mouth ass out” in the summer. Only then will he look to avenge past MMA losses. Jackson, a former UFC champion, lost to Evans in May 2010. This was after both athletes coached a season of The Ultimate Fighter.
The rivalry between Jackson and Silva isn’t new. It started back in 2003. Silva, the Brazilian, beat Jackson under the PRIDE banner. They met again in 2004. Jackson had just knocked out Ikuhisa Minowa and Ricardo Arona. But Silva won again, by knockout.
Jackson finally got his revenge in 2008. He knocked out Silva in the first round at UFC 92. He evened the score at two apiece with another knockout win over Silva. This was a decade later, at Bellator 206.
Silva’s message to Jackson? “Get ready, your time is coming.” He’s more than ready to accept the challenge. He said, “Wanderlei will hang you on the ropes again. Get ready.”