Wanderlei Silva is down to share the ring again with his “archenemy” Quinton Jackson.
“The Axe Murderer” took to social media to respond to “Rampage,” who said on a recent appearance on The MMA Hour that he’s interested in rematching former MMA rivals Rashad Evans and Silva in boxing matches after making his professional debut against ex-WBO heavyweight champ Shannon Briggs in an eight-round boxing match on June 1 in Qatar.
“I couldn’t wake up to better news,” Silva said on a video posted by Brazilian journalist Ana Hissa. “My archenemy Quinton Jackson will make his boring debut and already said he has the intention to do the fifth fight with Wanderlei Silva. I think that’s more than fair because I’ve knocked him out twice, and he beat me twice as well. So we’ll have the fifth fight, in boxing.”
First, Jackson said he has to “knock Shannon’s big-mouth ass out” in the summertime before looking to avenge past MMA losses. The former UFC champion lost a decision to Evans in May 2010 after both athletes coached a season of The Ultimate Fighter.
Jackson’s rivalry with Silva dates back to 2003, when the Brazilian first beat him under the PRIDE banner. They met again one year later, after Jackson knocked out Ikuhisa Minowa and Ricardo Arona, however Silva once again won by knockout. “Rampage” finally got his revenge in 2008 with a first-round knockout of Silva at UFC 92, then evened the score at two apiece with another knockout win over Silva a decade later at Bellator 206.
“Get ready Quinton Jackson, your time is coming,” Silva said. “The challenge is more than accepted. Wanderlei will hang you on the ropes again. Get ready.”