With Brandon Vera sidelined due to injury, Thiago Silva will now face Croatian Igor Pokrajac at UFC on FX 3 in May.

Sources close to the fight confirmed the new bout to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday with bout agreements issued for the May 15 light heavyweight tilt.

Thiago Silva returns to action after a year off following a suspension handed down from the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Silva submitted a urine sample for his drug test that was ‘inconsistent with human urine’ and later admitted to taking a performance enhancing substance.

Now that his sentence has been served, the American Top Team fighter is back in action and returns at the UFC on FX 3 card.

Facing Silva in Virginia will be knockout artist Igor Pokrajac, who looks for his third victory in a row in the UFC.

Pokrajac most recently knocked out Krzysztof Soszynski at UFC 140 in Toronto last December, marking his second straight TKO in a row.

Now Pokrajac will face a tough test in Thiago Silva in a fight that will be featured on the main card of the UFC on FX 3 show taking place in Fairfax, VA.

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