What Happened to Anderson Silva?

Anderson Silva is one of, if not the, greatest MMA fighters to ever grace the UFC Octagon.

The undisputed GOAT of the middleweight division, he holds multiple records in the weight class and even more in the UFC overall.

When Anderson Silva debuted in the UFC in 2006, he brought a level of striking never before witnessed in the western MMA world.

His combination of Muay Thai, boxing, and taekwondo generated some of the most spectacular knockouts in UFC history.

His influence on the sport made MMA athletes improve their striking skills across the board, leading to the elite level of MMA striking we have today.

Anderson Silva still holds the record for most consecutive wins in the UFC at 16, as well as the most title fight victories at middleweight (11), most title defenses at middleweight (10), most consecutive title defenses at middleweight (10), and the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, Anderson Silva also has the most knockouts in UFC title fights (7), most knockdowns in UFC title fights (10), most finishes in UFC title fights (9), and the most finishes in the UFC middleweight division (11).

Anderson Silva’s most iconic moments in the UFC include a front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort, a one-shot jab KO of Forrest Griffin while moving backwards, a flying knee KO of Rich Franklin, a rear-naked choke submission against Dan Henderson, and a legendary last-minute triangle choke against Chael Sonnen in the fifth round of a fight he had been losing.

It’s safe to say the virtuoso striker was a dominant force during his prime, revolutionizing MMA while cementing his legacy as one of the greatest fighters of all time.

While the backend of his career was filled with disappointments, nothing can tarnish the impeccable legacy that Anderson “the Spider” Silva left in the UFC and greater MMA world.

Has Anderson Silva Ever Lost?

With so many accolades, one might ask themselves, has Anderson Silva ever lost?

Silva was undefeated through his first 16 bouts in the UFC, a record for consecutive victories that still stands today.

From his debut in 2006 (UFC Fight Night 5: Leben vs. Silva) all the way up to UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar in 2012, nobody could defeat Anderson Silva.

Unfortunately, Anderson Silva lost his middleweight title when he was knocked out by Chris Weidman at UFC 162: Silva vs. Weidman.

He was never quite the same following that loss, going 1-7 with one no contest during his next 8 fights in the UFC.

That stretch included losses to Weidman, Daniel Cormier, Michael Bisping, and Israel Adesanya, all of whom were UFC champions at one point.

Anderson Silva’s only victory during that downward spiral came against Derek Brunson at UFC 208: Holm vs. De Randamie, where he bested Brunson via unanimous decision.

Did Anderson Silva fight in PRIDE?

Although he is most famous for his legendary run in the UFC, Anderson Silva also fought in the now defunct PRIDE FC promotion.

Before signing with the UFC in 2006, Anderson Silva fought five times under the PRIDE banner.

He went 3-2 in the organization, with the two losses coming against Daiju Takase at Pride 26 – Bad to the Bone in June 2003 and Ryo Chonan during Pride FC – Shockwave 2004 in December, 2004.

They would be his only two losses in MMA (third overall at that point in his career) until he lost his UFC middleweight title against Chris Weidman in 2013.

Is Anderson Silva Retired?

Anderson Silva now has retired from MMA, but is still active in combat sports. He officially retired from the UFC following a loss against Uriah Hall on October 31st, 2020, during UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Silva.

Anderson Silva is retired from the UFC, he has since fought successfully in boxing bouts.

He defeated former WBC middleweight boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via split decision on June 19th, 2021, during the Chavez Jr. vs. Silva: Tribute to Kings boxing event.

He followed up that victory by knocking out fellow UFC legend Tito Ortiz in an exhibition boxing bout on September 11th, 2021, during the Holyfield vs. Belfort: No Holds Barred boxing event.

After knocking out Tito Ortiz, Anderson Silva showcased a boxing exhibition against Bruno Machado in May, 2022 during the “Global Titans Fight Series” event in Abu Dhabi, headlined by Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Don Moore.

Despite now being 47-years old, “The Spider” still has elite footwork and hand speed, knocking down the much younger man.

Bruno Machado is a retired MMA fighter who is 35-years-old, getting bested by his 12-year senior in Anderson Silva.

Despite the knockdown, the fight was an exhibition, so there was no official scoring.

It is unclear whether Anderson Silva will box again, but one potential opponent for him has been YouTuber turned pugilist Jake Paul.

After Silva made easy work of Machado, Paul took to Twitter, suggesting that he was open to a boxing bout with the legendary UFC fighter.

Regardless of what is next for “The Spider,” he will always be a legend.