The first blows have been landed.

If you didn’t know, I’m sure you realize now that Anderson Silva and Michael Bisping are set to lock horns at UFC Fight Night 84 in a little over two weeks from now. It’s a fight that seems to be flying under the radar despite the fact that it features the former dominant middleweight champion and a man known for his trash talking abilities. Truthfully, there have been so many great fights and news in the last few months that no one could be blamed for forgetting this match was still happening (Or perhaps it’s just me…). In any case, Anderson Silva will be returning to the cage for the first time since a bout with Nick Diaz at UFC 183 last January. It was supposed to be Silva’s big comeback fight after suffering a horrific leg injury in his rematch with former middleweight kingpin Chris Weidman. It all went awry when a post fight drug test revealed that Silva tested positive for banned substances drostanolone and androsterone, putting a shadow over his attempt at redemption and essentially his entire career. Many people believe now that Silva has been using banned substances his whole career and the positive test result has severely damaged his image and credibility. Michael Bisping on the other hand is on a two fight win streak and is looking to extend it against Silva at the Fight Night event on February 27. The Englishman, known for his brash attitude and willingness to tell it like it is, has been relatively silent heading into the bout. That is until now. At a recent open workout which featured both main event fighters, the two veterans traded some heated words which is sure to bring some added attention to the event. Check out the video below for the verbal confrontation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUHDkWUOdug Who do you think will come out on top, Silva or Bisping? Let me know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron MMA on Facebook and Twitter. Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor and geek culture enthusiast. Follow him on Twitter and keep up with his latest exploits.