Anderson Silva return on May 14 card headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Silva will face a countryman and former MMA fighter turned boxer Bruno Machado. The 24-bout cage fighting veteran has won six straight in a boxing ring. On Thursday, MMAFighting confirmed that Silva vs Machado will also be an eight-round exhibition fought at a 194-pound catchweight.

The 46-year-old “Spider” has not fought since his September 2021 knockout win over former UFC light heavyweight great Tito Ortiz at Triller Fight Club: Legends II. That was Silva’s second win as a boxer after a victorious debut over one-time WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. in June of that year.

• Anderson Silva record: 34-11 (23 knockouts, 3 submissions)

Silva’s run in the UFC ended in October 2020 following three straight losses and winning just one fight during a nine-fight run between 2013 and 2020. Despite the disappointing end to his tenure in the organization, he will go down as not only the greatest 185-pound fighter the sport has ever seen, but one of the top five competitors in MMA history.

During his 22-year cage fighting career, Silva scored monumental wins over top contenders and former champions in Rich Franklin, Vitor Belfort, Carlos Newton, Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, and Chael Sonnen.

The May 14 card is set to take place on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab Hotel in the United Arab Emirates.