Chris Leben is returning to MMA to rematch Yoshihiro Akiyama on November 21 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea, promotion Black Combat announced. The bout will be Akiyama's retirement fight, and it comes 13 years after Leben's final UFC appearance, a loss to Uriah Hall. The pair first met at UFC 116 in 2010, a Fight of the Night winner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Leben has since worked as a judge, and he embraced the villain role by saying he loves being the bad guy.
Chris Leben is reportedly set to come out of retirement for a rematch with Yoshihiro Akiyama on November 21 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea, according to a report that has not been officially confirmed. The fight would take place under the Black Combat banner and would serve as Akiyama's retirement bout.
If it happens, the bout would arrive 13 years after Leben's final UFC appearance, a loss to Uriah Hall. In the interim, Leben has worked as a judge. The report says he has embraced the villain role heading into the fight, saying he loves being the bad guy.
The two fighters first met at UFC 116 in 2010 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the fight earned Fight of the Night honors.
Fighter context
Leben, 46, carries a 22-11-0 record and fights out of Alliance MMA. The American southpaw stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach. He lands 2.87 significant strikes per minute at 42 percent accuracy and averages 1.14 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Akiyama, 51, is 14-6-0 and represents Japan, training with Jackson-Wink MMA. The orthodox fighter is five-foot-ten with a 75-inch reach. He lands 3.1 significant strikes per minute at 41 percent accuracy, averages 2.29 takedowns per 15 minutes, and attempts one submission per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- The bout would close out Akiyama's career against the same opponent he shared a Fight of the Night with in 2010.
- Leben would be returning after more than a decade away from UFC competition and a stretch spent judging fights.
- Akiyama's wrestling numbers and Leben's slightly lower striking output set up a familiar tension between pressure striking and grappling control.
- The card would be a notable stage for Black Combat, hosting a high-profile legacy matchup in South Korea.
The report has not been officially confirmed.
