Chris Leben Ends 13-Year MMA Hiatus for Akiyama Rematch at Black Combat's Vendetta

UFC veteran Chris Leben will return to MMA after 13 years to rematch Yoshihiro Akiyama on November 21 in South Korea — the Japanese star's retirement fight.

Chris Leben Ends 13-Year MMA Hiatus for Akiyama Rematch at Black Combat's Vendetta

Sixteen years after one of the wildest fights of the 2010s, Chris Leben and Yoshihiro Akiyama are running it back. Black Combat announced on October 7 that Leben will end a 13-year MMA hiatus to face Akiyama in a rematch at its "Vendetta" event on November 21 at the Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea.

The promotion also confirmed the bout will serve as Akiyama's retirement fight. The 51-year-old Japanese cult hero hangs up his gloves after a career that stretched across the UFC, ONE Championship and beyond.

The two veterans first collided at UFC 116 in Las Vegas in 2010, where Leben handed Akiyama his first loss inside the Octagon, submitting him with a triangle choke in the third round of an all-time thriller. Akiyama has since shared the cage with Shinya Aoki and others in ONE Championship.

Leben's own road back has been long. His last UFC appearance came in 2013, and a planned move to Bellator collapsed over health concerns. He was medically cleared in 2019 and fought three bare-knuckle bouts for BKFC before going quiet in 2021. Now, "The Crippler" steps back into the cage for one more night — against the man who has defined his legacy.