Thiago Silva

Tom Lawlor vs. Jason MacDonald also agreed to for the card

By FCF Staff

A highly-anticipated rematch between light heavyweights Thiago Silva (14-2) and Brandon “The Truth” Vera (12-5) has been tapped for the UFC on FX3 fight card in Fairfax, VA. on May 15, UFC officials announced today.

A middleweight matchup between “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (7-4) and Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald (25-15) has also been verbally agreed to by the respective fighter camps, according to the UFC announcement.

In their first encounter on January 1, 2011, Silva stopped Vera with a barrage of punches in the second round of action.   For Vera, it was his third consecutive loss, prompting the UFC to release him from his contractual obligations.

Vera was brought back onto the UFC roster, however, after it was revealed that Silva had tested positive for a banned substance following the fight.  Vera was triumphant in his first fight back in The Octagon, earning a unanimous decision over Eliot Marshall.

The one-year suspension that Silva was slapped with as a result of his failed post-fight drug test, ended last month.