The war of words between UFC CEO Dana White and former middleweight champion Anderson Silva appears far from over. Just days after White revealed that Silva “won’t talk to me to this day” because of disagreements surrounding the end of his UFC career, the legendary Brazilian fired back on social media with a pointed response.
White recently discussed Silva’s departure from the UFC, claiming the former champion was upset when the promotion decided it was time for him to retire.
Silva didn’t appreciate the characterization. “The bald guy saying sh*t,” Silva wrote in Portuguese on Instagram. “I’ve been out of the organization for many years already, but apparently neither the current fighters nor the bald guy himself can forget my accomplishments.”
Silva also reminded White of his importance to the UFC’s growth during its rise to mainstream popularity. “Deep down, the bald guy knows that with me there was no whining, everybody got beat up, and I saved the promotion more than once.”
Disputing the Record
One comment in particular appeared to frustrate Silva. During his interview, White claimed Silva had lost “eight or nine fights in a row” before being released from the UFC.
Silva quickly corrected that narrative. “And just so we’re clear,” Silva wrote, “it seems like the bald guy doesn’t know how to count.” In reality, Silva finished his UFC career on a three-fight losing streak, having lost seven of his final nine bouts before his release in 2020.
A UFC Legend
Regardless of how their relationship ended, Silva remains one of the most accomplished fighters in MMA history.
During his historic UFC run, Silva:
- Won 16 consecutive UFC fights
- Held the middleweight championship for nearly seven years
- Defended his title a record number of times
- Defeated legends such as Dan Henderson, Chael Sonnen, and Vitor Belfort
- Went 3-0 at light heavyweight with three knockout victories
One of his most memorable performances came against former champion Forrest Griffin, whom Silva dismantled in one of the most iconic knockouts in UFC history.
Since leaving the UFC, Silva has enjoyed a successful boxing career.
“The Spider” defeated:
- Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
- Tito Ortiz
- Tyron Woodley
His only boxing defeat came against Jake Paul in 2022. White recently admitted that convincing aging stars to retire is one of the toughest parts of his job and acknowledged that some fighters never forgive him afterward.
Based on Silva’s latest comments, it appears the former UFC champion remains firmly in that category. While the two men helped build one of the greatest eras in UFC history together, their relationship remains fractured years after Silva’s final walk to the Octagon.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
