Wanderlei Silva set to face Rich Franklin at UFC 147

[bchampy]

Silva vs. Franklin 2 to Headline UFC 147

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. Franklin had been training to meet Cung Le at UFC 148 -- plans for Le's next matchup will be announced shortly.

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.

The remainder of the fight card will feature contestants from TUF Brasil, including the two finalists vying to become the show's first-ever Ultimate Fighter.