Anderson Silva Should ‘Never Fight Again’ Following Loss To Uriah Hall, Dana White Says
In the immediate aftermath of Anderson Silva’s loss to Uriah Hall at UFC Vegas 12, the promotion’s president, Dana White, hinted that Saturday’s bout might have been the final one for the legendary middleweight fighter.
At the post-fight press conference, White stressed that he felt it was a mistake to book Silva vs. Hall as last night’s main event, noting that the eventual winner had “absolutely zero output,” with both men combining for just 11 punches thrown in the second round, per MMA Weekly. The promoter also referred to Hall as one of the most “gun-shy” fighters in the UFC before turning his attention toward Silva.
“And look at Anderson. When the fight was over, he couldn’t even stand up to do his interview. He had to sit down and do an interview. I made a big mistake and I shouldn’t have let him fight this fight tonight. He’s a legend of this sport and he’s a legend of this company, and I did something I disagreed with. I knew I was right, and tonight proved I was right, and Anderson Silva should never fight again.”
Ahead of UFC Vegas 12, Silva had already been teasing the possibility of bidding farewell to the octagon. As quoted by USA Today‘s MMA Junkie, the 45-year-old said last week that the bout against Hall would “for sure” be his swan song in the UFC.
Prior to Saturday night’s defeat, Silva had not fought since his May, 2019, loss to Jared Cannonier, and earlier this year, White commented about trying to find the right opponent to help ease him into retirement. Originally, the Brazilian was allowed to complete the remaining two fights on his contract, though White ultimately changed obligation to just one bout.
Despite the above comments, as well as White’s determination to prevent him from returning to the octagon, Silva’s remarks at the post-fight conference hinted that he hasn’t absolutely closed the door on his MMA career.
According to ESPN, the former middleweight champion said that he plans to “go back home” and consult with his team before making an official decision. He emphasized that his entire life has been dedicated to mixed martial arts, thus making it hard to say whether he is truly done with the sport.
Silva dropped to a 34-11 record with one no-contest following last night’s loss. He still holds the UFC records for longest championship reign and longest winning streak, having held the middleweight title for 2,457 days and fighting to 16 straight wins earlier in his career.
