Home / News / Rich “Ace” Franklin steps in for Belfort to face Wanderlei Silva at 190lbs

Rich “Ace” Franklin steps in for Belfort to face Wanderlei Silva at 190lbs

By on May 30, 2012

UFC 147 now has a new five-round main event, as former middleweight champion Rich Franklin will face “The Axe Murderer” Wanderlei Silva in a 190-pound catchweight feature.

The two first met at UFC 99 in Germany, where Franklin earned a decision win and both men took home Fight of the Night bonuses.

Silva was originally set to face fellow TUF Brasil coach Vitor Belfort in a rematch of their 1998 UFC Brazil bout, but a hand injury forced Belfort to withdraw from the event.

The co-main bout will feature heavyweight stand-outs Fabrício Werdum and Mike Russow, both coming off wins in their last fight.

Plus, two elite Brazilian featherweights will go head-to-head as Yuri Alcantara fights Hacran Dias. The two have nearly 50 combined wins without a defeat in years. Their styles and ability to finish the fight anywhere make for a hard-to-predict bout that should pique the interest of hardcore fans.

A featherweight showdown between Felipe Arantes and Milton Vieira will also take place at this event. Vieira is a longtime veteran of the sport, known for his incredible durability and submission ability, while Arantes is a young prospect with a flashy and powerful striking game.

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