‘The Spider’ Releases Statement Following UFC Vegas 12 Loss

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Will Anderson Silva retire following his fourth round TKO loss to Uriah Hall? Read his official Instagram statement to glean what’s going on in the GOAT contender’s mind.

Anderson Silva has accepted his retirement.

It seemed like an uncertain thing following his fourth round TKO loss to Uriah Hall at UFC Vegas 12. As he did all fight week, Silva continued to waffle on whether we’d see him compete in mixed martial arts again. Fans in forums and on social media started speculating unenthusiastically on potential Bellator match-ups. It was kinda dark, man.

But today Silva seems to be leaning more towards not fighting again. He made a post-fight statement on Instagram that implied today was the first day of his non-combat sports life.

“Good morning my people, today is a very different day for a simple reason: GOING OFF A WHOLE LIFE DEDICATED TO MY SPORT,” Silva wrote (translated from Portuguese). “Yesterday was as special as well, I went up there to do what I love, I didn’t think I would be as happy as I am, even losing, I have a feeling of peace, from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you all, my team, my family , my friends and everyone who saw the fight; know that it has always been a great honor to fight all these years with your fans!!!”

“I hope I left it in memory and in the heart of each of you a little of who I am,” he wrote in English. “That you can overcome difficulties, every second of uncertainty and to overcome obstacles in your lives! Never think about giving up, as hard as things get at some point; know that ​​I leave all my love, all my respect for you! Force and time always and God bless you all!”

From watching Anderson across fight week, there’s always the chance he could lean back the other way tomorrow or the day after or next week as far as competing goes. But an occasionally wise man once said “He’s 46 years old. Unless you’re trying to save your life or defend your f**king family, no 46 year old should be fighting, period.”

That wise man was Dana White at the UFC Vegas 12 post-fight presser. We cannot disagree.