(Wandy’s been waiting for this moment ever since his son told him he wants to be the Cat Smasher when he grows up.)

UFC.com confirmed last night that middleweight veterans Wanderlei Silva and Chris Leben will be meeting at UFC 132 (July 2nd, Las Vegas). It’s a matchup that’s been a year in the making. Following his upset submission victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116 last July, Leben called out Akiyama’s original opponent for the fight, Wanderlei Silva. Silva liked the sound of it, and has been mentioning Leben’s name ever since.

Unfortunately, with Silva recuperating from knee surgery, Leben was forced to take another fight in the meantime, and wound up getting KO’d by Brian Stann. But although Silva has been tied to everyone from Stann to Chael Sonnen to Vitor Belfort for his return bout, it seems that the Axe Murderer is getting his wish to fight the Crippler, in a match that’s as close to a guaranteed slugfest as you can get in this kooky sport. Silva expressed his joy via Twitter:

“This is the most important fight in my career, after my last [surgery] I have bad thinks about my career and now I go back…I don’t have words for say thanks for all support you give to me, you help to bad days pass fast, you are part of my family obrigado meu DEUS!…thanks my lord for one more opportunity, I don’t [know] how many fights, I gonna make more I go enjoy all”

Silva hasn’t competed since his unanimous decision win over Michael Bisping at UFC 110, in February 2010. UFC 132 is also expected to feature Urijah Faber vs. Dominick Cruz and Tito Ortiz vs. Ryan Bader.