UFC legend Anderson Silva has confirmed his plan to retire from mixed martial arts – but also revealed that he’ll continue to compete in other combat sports.
Silva, 46, was released by the Ultimate Fighting Championship following his TKO loss to Uriah Hall last October. The defeat marked a sour end to an incredible run with the promotion that saw him become the greatest middleweight of all-time – and one of the best MMA fighters in the history of the sport.
Now, he’s set to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a boxing match, leaving many to wonder whether he’ll ever compete in MMA again.
During a recent interview with ESPN, ‘The Spider’ decided to clarify his current position.
“I don’t need to prove nothing for anybody.”
“Every single day, different companies, especially in Japan and Asia, too, called me, but I think MMA for me is done,” Silva said. “Because it’s hard to train MMA. It’s hard to stay in camp training in a good level because you hurt yourself a lot.
“Now I just try to enjoy. I don’t need to prove nothing for anybody.
“I just try to enjoy every single moment I fight in different sports, and that’s it,” he added. “Maybe my next challenge is jiu-jitsu – gi or no gi. Just enjoy the moment. The whole martial arts.”
Silva has a reputation for keeping people guessing, whether it be through his skill inside the octagon or his antics outside of it.
The reality is that he could go on to lose every competitive bout he takes part in for the rest of his life, and his prime years ensure he’ll be a constant in the greatest ever conversation.
Anderson’s showdown with Chavez Jr is set to take place on June 19 at Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico.
Featured image credit: Getty
