Dana White regrets even letting Anderson Silva into the octagon Saturday night.
Silva, the 45-year-old MMA legend, lost to Uriah Hall via fourth-round TKO at UFC Fight Night in what was likely Silva’s final UFC fight. And White hopes it’s Silva’s last fight anywhere.
“I made a big mistake,” White told ESPN. “I shouldn’t have let him fight this fight (Saturday). But out of respect for him — he’s a legend of this sport, a legend of this company — I did something I didn’t agree with… Anderson Silva should never fight again.”
A bloodied Silva took a lot of punishment from Hall, whom White describes as “one of the most gun-shy fighters” the UFC has. A matchup against “any of these other savages” could spell trouble for Silva, White warned.
White said he and Silva agreed that Saturday’s fight would be his last for UFC, and the Brazilian admitted as much after his loss, but he did not commit to retiring from MMA completely.
UFC’s Dana White says Anderson Silva should retire.Zuffa LLC via Getty Images (2)“I don’t know,” Silva said. “First, I go back home and go see with my team and everything. Let’s see. Because it’s tough to say it’s my last or not. This is my air. This is what I do for my entire life and with my heart. Let’s go see.”
The end of the bout was emotional for both fighters as they knelt down and spoke head to head.
“I love you,” Hall told Silva. “You’re still one of the greatest.”
Silva has the longest championship reign in UFC history, holding onto the middleweight title for 2,457 days from 2006-13, and his 16 consecutive wins which mostly happened during that title reign is also a UFC record.
