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Anderson Silva will replace Jon Jones at UFC 200 vs. Cormier

Anderson Silva will replace Jon Jones in a light heavyweight bout against Daniel Cormier at UFC 200.

Brazilian fighting legend accepts match on less than 2 day's notice

On Thurdsday the UFC announced that Brazilian legend Anderson Silva will replace Jon Jones in a light heavyweight bout against Daniel Cormier at UFC 200. (Christopher Lee/Getty Images)

Anderson Silva will replace Jon Jones in a light heavyweight bout against Daniel Cormier at UFC 200.

The UFC announced the late replacement for Jones on Thursday night, less than 48 hours before the mixed martial arts promotion's biggest show of the summer.

The 41-year-old Silva (33-7) is one of the greatest fighters in the sport's history, reigning as the middleweight champion for nearly seven years. But he hasn't earned a victory in four fights since October 2012, enduring injuries and a doping suspension that invalidated his only win in that stretch.

Silva will step in against Cormier, the UFC's vaunted 205-pound champion. Cormier's rematch with Jones was cancelled Wednesday night after Jones failed a doping test.

Silva also had surgery to remove his gall bladder just seven weeks ago.