Wanderlei Silva (left) faces Acelino Popó (right) at Spaten Fight Night 2. Photo: Reproduction
With Vitor Belfort 's withdrawal and Acelino "Popó" Freitas' arrival to face Wanderlei Silva at Spaten Fight Night 2, many fans have been confused about the rules of the fight, especially after news that the duel could be considered an exhibition. However, the confrontation between the two veterans of combat sports, scheduled for September 27th, falls into a specific category known as a "special fight," fully regulated by the World Boxing Council.
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The information was provided by Spaten's Marketing Director, Cinthia Klumpp, in an interview with Ag. Fight in July. At the time, Belfort was still part of the fight, but the regulatory framework for the fight was identical to the current one.
"Belfort vs. Wanderlei is an official fight, characterized and regulated by the National Boxing Council as a Special Fight. The fight will consist of eight rounds of two minutes each with a one-minute break, with a catchweight of 93 kg and 12 OZ (ounce) gloves," he stated.
Popó x Wanderlei Silva: On the 27th, the Spaten Fight Night ring will be too small for these two combat sports legends.
What's your guess for how this duel ends? #SpatenFightNightNoCombate pic.twitter.com/B9NKX7luWD
— Combate (@combate) September 18, 2025
Wanderlei Silva and Popó have opposite trajectories in combat sports
Popó defeats Kleber Bambam in FMS 4. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
This way, the fight will be included on both athletes' official records, even if not as a professional bout. Furthermore, judges will score the fight round by round, and knockouts are permitted. This will be the Curitiba native's first experience in the noble art, having fought over 50 times in MMA. Popó is one of the greatest Brazilians in boxing history, having won four world titles throughout his career.
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