Anderson Silva is the greatest fighter in UFC history. And he has won just one fight of the last eight, in the last eight years. A closer examination of the 1-6 with 1 NC record reveals a more nuanced reality than the numbers indicate.
In 2013 Silva lost his middleweight title to Chris Weidman after he zigged when should have zagged Weidman’s second straight right. In the immediate rematch he broke his leg horribly throwing a low kick. In 2015, after a year of rehab, “The Spider” bounced back with a win over Nick Diaz, which was changed to a No Contest after a positive test for the PEDs drostanolone and androsterone. Silva fought twice in 2016, losing to Michael Bisping, who would go on to win the belt in his very next fight. Then at UFC 200 Silva took a short-notice, non-title fight vs. light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, who appeared scared of engaging with Silva at points, en route to a decision win.
The next year Silva beat Derek Brunson by decision. Then in 2019 the UFC built up eventual middleweight champion Israel Adesanya by matching him with Silva. And later that year Silva was stopped by Jared Cannonier in Round 1 via leg kicks. Now, in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 40, Silva fights Uriah Hall, in what is likely his final bout in the Octagon.
Silva pursued fights vs. Conor McGregor and Anthony Pettis earlier this year, but neither came to pass. The fight vs. Hall had been planned in 2016, but Silva withdrew due to gallbladder surgery.
The UFC’s preference for Silva was Hall (15-9). The two previously were scheduled to fight in 2016 in Brazil, until Silva was forced to withdraw because of surgery on his gallbladder. Hall is now on a two-fight win streak, and remains a fearsome striker, as does Silva. It’s a good fight.
“Maybe this is my last fight,” said Silva to Brett Okamoto for ESPN. “That’s why I’m training hard every day, doing my best. My whole team has come to help me. Everybody is in quarantine to start training. I’m very excited, because I think this is my last performance inside the cage, for my fans. We’ll see.”
“The good story is Anderson Silva fights again for the belt and wins, and then is done — but that’s a script, you can’t do this in real life. I’m excited to continue working, doing something special. This fight will help me create something huge inside my mind for my fans, my legacy.”
At the DWCS Season 4: Week 4 post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White was definitive.
Yes, it will be his last fight, White said. Yeah, it’s his last fight.
Anderson Silva is now 45 years old. He fought 43 times across 23 years. During his peak, he had an 18-fight win streak against the best in world, defending his belt successfully ten times. That this is apparently Silva’s final fight is cause not for sadness, but celebration, and even wonder at the greatest fighter in the history of the UFC.
