Former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva was pulled from the main event of UFC Fight Night Shanghai due to a potential USADA violation.
Now another former UFC Middleweight Champion in Michael Bisping has agreed to step in on short notice to fight Kelvin Gastelum in Silva’s place.
MMA Fighting first announced the news.
Gastelum (13-3-0-1NC) was originally supposed to fight Silva this past June at UFC 212, but was then suspended by USADA for a failed drug test and the fight was called off. Gastelum has won just two of his last four fights, but one of those wins came over former UFC Welterweight Champion Johny Hendricks at UFC 200. Gastelum was also the winner of the UFC Ultimate Fighter 17, defeating Uriah Hall in the finals of the reality show.
Bisping (30-8-0) is competing for the first time since losing the UFC Middleweight Title to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 217. Bisping is going to be headlining his sixth straight UFC card and the fighter has a record of 4-1-0 in those last five main event bouts. Bisping is returning to China for the first time since UFC Fight Night 48, where he defeated Cung Le by TKO.
UFC Fight Night: Shanghai takes place on Saturday, November 25 from the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China with Michael Bisping and Kelvin Gatselum headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass.
