Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor Terry Crews set to fight UFC great Anderson Silva in grand Brazilian farewell event for 'The Spider'
Terry Crews will finally be stepping into the martial arts world. After years of training and bodybuilding, the former football player turned actor called out UFC Hall of Famer Anderson Silva to a celebrity boxing match, who happily accepted.
In an Instagram video posted on May 19, Cruz called for a fight with Silva on June 15 in Brazil. The 55-year-old claimed he has "been training" and is "ready" to make his boxing debut.
Cruz said:
"Anderson Silva. I've been training. I'm ready. June 15, I'll see you at fight night in Brazil, y'all... June 15, Anderson Silva — me [and] you. Let's make it happen"
Just hours later, the former UFC middleweight champion responded with his Instagram video accepting the challenge from the America's Got Talent host. Silva agreed to all of the proposed factors from Cruz, happily willing to accept what would be his sixth boxing fight and first in Brazil since 2005.
In his video, Silva said:
"Alright, alright. Terry Cruz. June 15. I'm waiting for you. I'm ready [and] preparing myself for you."
Crews, a Hollywood actor known for his impressive physique, has an athletic background in American football, having spent three seasons in the NFL. However, Cruz does not have any formal experience in martial arts other than the sporadic boxing training he mentioned in his callout video.
Silva, 49, has not fought since losing a decision to Jake Paul in 2022. Before the loss, Silva was 2-0 in boxing since his release from the UFC with wins over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Tito Ortiz.
Anderson Silva vs. Terry Crews details
With both Terry Crew and Anderson Silva sending out videos on May 19 promoting a future fight, the two seem likely to clash on June 15 in Brazil. Though no previous reports of the celebrity boxing match being worked on were made, the context of both videos appeared to indicate the two sides have been discussing the potential matchup for some time.
As of the day of the Instagram videos, no further details have been released other than the targeted date and general location. The June 15 date Crews and Silva agreed on is just 27 days after their public interaction on social media.
Several rumors surrounding the fight have claimed that the event will be billed as the 'Spider's Grand Finale,' indicating a potential retirement for Silva at the end of the night.