The Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight grudge match scheduled for July 5 between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen has been called off, and Vitor Belfort is set to take Silva’s place against “the American Gangster.”
The move comes after Silva allegedly skipped a mandatory and scheduled pre-fight anti-doping test, which all fighters must pass in order to fight.
“Due to issues related to Wanderlei Silva’s licensing in the state of Nevada, the UFC was forced to seek a replacement opponent to face Chael Sonnen at UFC 175 on Saturday, July 5 in Las Vegas,” the UFC said in a statement. “Former UFC champion Vitor Belfort has accepted the fight with Sonnen, subject to Belfort receiving a license to compete from the Nevada Athletic Commission.”
Sonnen said the fight will be a No.1 contender fight to take on the winner of champion Chris Weidman against challenger Lyoto Machida on the same card.
Silva and Sonnen coached against each other on the third season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil.