Anderson Silva vs Nick Diaz fight at UFC 183 in January announced

THE pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, Anderson Silva, will make his UFC comeback after a leg break nearly ended his MMA career.

UFC star returns from horrific injury

THE UFC’s former pond-for-pound king, Anderson Silva, will make his return to the Octagon in January — little more than 12 months after the horrific leg break that nearly ended his MMA career.

Silva (33-6 MMA, 16-2 UFC) will take on Nick Diaz (26-9 MMA, 7-6 UFC) in Las Vegas on January 31, president Dana White confirmed this morning.

“The fight that the fans have been waiting for, the fight that the fans have been screaming for … we have made Anderson Silva vs. Nick Diaz,” White said today on ESPN. “It will be the main event, and it will be five rounds.”

The bout will take place at middleweight (83.9kg) and will headline the UFC 183 card.

Silva, also known as the Spider, will fight for the first time since breaking his leg against Chris Weidman in a title fight at UFC 168 last December.

The injury was so severe that it looked certain Silva would never compete again.

But the 39-year-old bounced back, cruising through his rehabilitation before recently being cleared by doctors to fight.

“Anderson Silva feels great,” White said. “It will be a 13-month lay-off. He’s 100 per cent healthy. He’s kicking. He feels great, and he’s champing at the bit to get back in the Octagon.

“He’s very excited for this fight.”

Similarly, Diaz has hasn’t seen action inside the cage since March last year.

After failing to top then UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Diaz retired from mixed martial arts.

He ended his retirement last week, signing a new three-fight deal with the UFC.