The world of combat sports is highly unpredictable. We recently saw Mike Tyson‘s fight announcement with Jake Paul. Continuing the trend of unexpected matchups, Former NFL star and actor Terry Crews announced a fight with Brazilian MMA legend Anderson Silva in a humorous social media post. On X, The Expendables star displayed his enthusiasm for boxing by challenging the UFC middleweight champion in what has fueled speculation that it could be Silva’s farewell to the combat sports world.

The announcement video was in Portuguese, as it translated to, “Time for the Spider-Man’s Grand Finale in Brazil. And the farewell of a martial arts legend in his country had to come at a special occasion.” Silva, nearing 50 years old, faces questions about his future in the sport. His last fight was against Jake Paul has reignited discussion about retirement for the MMA legend. In the viral video, Terry Crews said, “Alright, Anderson Silva I’ve been training, I’m ready. June 15 I’ll see you at Fight Night in Brazil, y’all. June 15, let’s go, Anderson Silva; me, you, let’s make it happen. What? Terry Crews here, Brazil!”. To which Silva replied, “See you June 15”, in the comments.

55-year-old Terry Crews retired from the NFL in 1997 after a short career where he recorded only three tackles. Following his retirement, he transitioned to acting, finding success in shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and movies and series. He’s even rumored to be appearing in the upcoming Marvel movie starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, speculated to be Deadpool and Wolverine.

The challenge video by Terry Crews calling Anderson Silva went viral, sparking a range of reactions from the public. Boxing and MMA fans flooded the comments section to share their thoughts on the unexpected matchup, with some finding it humorous.

However, Silva himself addressed the situation. He clarified that he is not fighting Terry Crews and will announce his actual opponent later. This news has left fans on social media with mixed feelings, with some of the initial humor now tinged with criticism taken to the comments section to share their thoughts on the matchup.

Fans roast Terry Crews after he announced a boxing match with Silva

The video, re-uploaded by a CBSSports combat sports analyst, is captioned “Terry Crews says he’s fighting Anderson Silva June 15 in Brazil. Wait, what?”  This caption reflects the analyst’s confusion, which is likely shared by many fans who are unsure whether the fight is legitimate.

One fan, likely assuming it was a setup, commented, “Has to be for a TV show or movie surely” Another fan, expecting a punchline, wrote, “I was waiting for the joke…” Some of the users asked about Crews’ experience in combat sports. Despite being a former NFL player with a well-built and strong body, they argue that it doesn’t mean he can fight an MMA fighter, the user said “Does he have any combat sports background lol.”

Fans even expressed concern for Crews, highlighting the power disparity between him and Silva. One fan commented, “Lol Silva is going piece him up.” Another fan, seemingly disillusioned with the state of fight sports, wrote, “What could go wrong?” Finally, a user captured the unexpected nature of the matchup with the comment, “The most random fight ever 😂.”

One user offered a more cynical perspective, suggesting this fight is a publicity stunt similar to Jake Paul’s upcoming fight with Mike Tyson. the comment reads: “People wanted Anderson in gimmick fights so he can style on them.” which clearly impounds publicity stunts. Implying that matchup prioritizes fair competition.

While these comments express a range of opinions, it’s undeniable that after his long career, Anderson Silva deserves a respectful send-off Many fans feel Terry Crews is not a suitable opponent for such an occasion.

Do you think Anderson Silva vs. Terry Crews is a legitimate fight, or simply a publicity stunt? Share your thoughts below!