The UFC has officially released Anderson Silva, leaving the legendary MMA fighter and former middleweight champion free to pursue ventures with other promotions if he so chooses.
MMA Fighting was the first to report the news.
Although Silva still had one fight left on his contract, it was long assumed that his most recent fight — a TKO loss to Uriah Hall at the end of October — would be his last. Silva then seemed to go back and forth on whether or not he was retiring, and there is still no word either way on a firm decision to either hang up the gloves for good or continue his career with another company. However, according to MMA Fighting, the fighter’s split from the UFC was a mutual decision.
Though there’s been some speculation that Silva might make the move to Bellator, the promotion’s president, Scott Coker, indicated to MMA Junkie that he wouldn’t be adding Silva to the current roster anytime soon. “I have a lot of respect for him. He’s definitely one of the greatest fighters in the history of mixed martial arts. I really haven’t thought about it, but I think I’m happy with the way our roster is heading and the fighters that we have now. I think that’s my statement on that.”
Silva is widely considered to be one of the best MMA fighters of all time, at one point setting the record for the most consecutive wins in the UFC. He also retained the UFC middleweight title from 2006 to 2013.
