A completely unexpected rematch between two UFC veterans is reportedly set to take place well over 16 years after their first meeting.
A fan favorite thanks to his violent fighting style, Chris Leben joined the UFC through Season 1 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2004 and went on to have a lengthy UFC career that saw him step into the Octagon more than 20 times.
âThe Cripplerâ retired from MMA following a loss to Uriah Hall in 2013, although he later went on to compete in several bareknuckle boxing bouts and is also a certified referee that has officiated at a number of UFC events.
Chris Leben to Rematch Yoshihiro “Sexyama” Akiyama More Than 16 Years After UFC Fight
In one of the more unexpected MMA developments in recent years, Leben is apparently returning to the sport nearly 13 years after he was stopped by Hall at UFC 168.
Announced by South Korean fight promotion Black Combat, âThe Cripplerâ will return to action at Black Combat 17 on November 21 to face Yoshihiro Akiyama, better known to MMA fans as âSexyamaâ, in the latter fighterâs retirement bout.
“Sexyama” Last Fought With ONE Championship in 2024
Boasting a 12-1 record in professional MMA when he joined the UFC in 2009, Akiyama took a split decision over Alan Belcher in his debut at UFC 100 before he was submitted by Leben in the final round at UFC 116 the following year.
The loss to Leben kicked off a four-fight skid for âSexyamaâ before he defeated Amir Sadollah in 2014, but his UFC career ended on a loss when he dropped a split decision to Alberto Mina at UFC Fight Night 29 in late 2015.
The now-51-year-old joined ONE Championship several years later and scored back-to-back finishes of Sherif Mohamed and MMA legend Shinya Aoki after falling short in his promotional debut, and his last combat sports outing at ONE 165 saw Nieky Holzken knock out Akiyama in the opening round of a custom rules bout.
Chris Leben Looks to Snap Four-Fight MMA Skid That Ended UFC Career
Itâs unclear how much interest the rematch between Leben and Akiyama will garner from MMA fans in 2026, but at the very least neither man is being fed to a younger up-and-coming fighter in the sport.
Leben did previously try to return to MMA with Bellator in 2016 before doctors discovered a potentially live-threatening issue with his heart, but in 2018 he passed all necessary medical tests ahead of his bareknuckle boxing bout with fellow UFC veteran Phil Baroni.
The first meeting between Lebean and Akiyama did take home âFight of the Nightâ honors at UFC 116, so perhaps Black Combat will at least be able to rely on the nostalgia of longtime MMA fans to help build some anticipation around the rematch.
Black Combat 17 is scheduled to take place at the Gochoek Sky Dome in Seoul, South Korea, on November 21.
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