MMA legend Anderson Silva finally gets his UFC Hall of Fame induction
The only thing that could be said on Saturday about the news of Anderson Silva’s election to the UFC Hall of Fame in its flagship suite is this: What took so long?
Former UFC Middleweight Champion, who last fought in MMA in October. 31, 2020, in Las Vegas when he was stopped by Uriah Hall. He is one of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport and perhaps the most inspiring.
In the package, he showed the UFC as he was broadcasting to UFC 286 On Silva’s choice, dozens of fighters spoke about how he redefined the game and inspired them to get into mixed martial arts:
Silva was a 17-4 out of the UFC before making his debut in Las Vegas against Chris Leben on June 28, 2006. There was a lot of hype surrounding Silva’s debut and it more than lived up to it: he knocked Leben out with a vicious knee in the 49th. second.
He only needed 2:59 in his next fight to stop Rich Franklin and win the UFC middleweight title. He would win his first 16 fights in the UFC and make 10 successful title defenses.
He was one of the key athletes who helped bring the sport into the modern era and boost its popularity.
He was known as a ferocious striker who knocked out a slew of elite opponents, but he had the all-around game that made him an all-around threat. He submitted Dan Henderson in the second round with a rear naked choke at UFC 82 on March 1, 2008. Then, in his most memorable moment, he finished Chael Sonnen with a triangle choke at 3:10 of the fifth round when he was down on the scorecards.
Even if he was old, he had the will to succeed. After turning 40 in 2015, he’s fought Michael Bisping, Daniel Cormier, Derek Bronson, Israel Adesanya, Jared Cannonier and Hall, an incredible challenge for a fighter in his prime, let alone a one-plus-40 fight.
Help Silva redefine the game and show what it means to be a professional. He will join Jens Pulver and Jose Aldo in the Class of 2023.
