UFC icon Anderson Silva finally confirms he is ‘done’ with MMA

Anderson Silva has retired from MMA having enjoyed one of the all-time great careers. 

The Brazilian, 46, fought for the final time in the UFC last year and lost by fourth-round TKO against Uriah Hall. 

With just one win to his name since 2013 and plenty of miles on the clock, the UFC confirmed that they would no longer serve up fights for Silva, although many feared he would continue in another organisation at serious detriment to his long-term health. 

Anderson Silva fought for the final time in MMA last October in a defeat by Uriah Hall (left)

Silva has called time on his MMA career as the training is too hard on his 46-year-old body 

But Silva has now said he believes his time competing in MMA is ‘done’. 

He told Ariel Helwani: ‘I think MMA for me is done. Because it’s hard to train MMA. It’s hard to stay 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.’

And even though it seems Silva will be taking it easier than before, he is still booked to fight Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Jr next month in a boxing exhibition. 

The event will take place at 55,000-capacity Jalisco Stadum in Guadalajara and should prove to be lucrative for both combat sport legends. 

Silva (L) has agreed a deal to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr (R) in the boxing ring in June 

‘I am extremely happy for the opportunity to test my boxing skills with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I train continuously, always striving for resilience and to overcome obstacles. Fighting is my everlasting breath,’ Silva said when the fight was announced.  

But it seems he will no longer compete in the cage, where he became one of MMA’s all time great and an icon in his native Brazil. 

He had a vice-like grip of the middleweight title for almost seven years betweem 2006-2013, a record for the longest reign of a champion (2,457 days). 

Silva also holds the longest winning streak (16 fights) and most finishes in title fights (9) but it was also the style in which he went about his work that captured the imagination.   

His low hands, incredible precision and showmanship made him a pay-per-view star and must-watch performer. 

Now he has officially closed the book on his MMA career, the ‘Spider’ can be fully appreciated beyond the drop-off in recent years when he was well past his prime.