Nine years ago today, Anderson Silva raised his hand in victory, but it hardly made waves at the time.
When discussing the greatest mixed martial artists in history, “The Spider” is a name that can’t be overlooked. Silva is a UFC icon who shattered multiple records during his remarkable tenure as the middleweight champion.
His legendary run—and record-setting streak of 10 title defenses—came to an abrupt halt in 2013 when Chris Weidman defeated him. After a shocking knockout loss, their rematch ended with Silva suffering a severe leg fracture, marking a turning point in his career.
Post-injury, Silva struggled to regain his former dominance, experiencing consecutive losses to Michael Bisping and Daniel Cormier. This followed a win against Nick Diaz that was overturned due to Silva testing positive for banned substances.
When Silva finally returned to the winner’s circle, it wasn’t without controversy.
Michael Bisping Criticizes Anderson Silva’s UFC 208 Performance Against Derek Brunson
On February 11, 2017, UFC 208 was held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. ‘The Spider’ snapped his losing streak by defeating Derek Brunson in the co-main event, ahead of Germaine de Randamie claiming the women’s featherweight title against Holly Holm.
Despite Silva earning the victory, many fans found his performance underwhelming. Brunson outlanded Silva 118 to 54 but ended up on the wrong side of the judges’ decision, much to his disappointment.
Former opponent Michael Bisping was vocal about his thoughts on Silva’s winning effort, criticizing him for showboating and disrespect during the fight. Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Countdown,” Bisping remarked, “He disrespected everyone there and disrespected his opponent.”
Anderson Silva Falls Outside the Top 5 in Bloody Elbow’s GOAT Poll
Though widely celebrated as one of MMA’s all-time greats and a regular feature on fans’ and fighters’ Mount Rushmore lists, Silva did not secure a top-five spot in a recent Bloody Elbow poll aimed at naming the sport’s GOAT.
Among 1,011 voters participating through TalkingPoints, Silva garnered fewer than 5% of the votes, ranking sixth out of nine contenders. He was placed behind Jon Jones—who took the top spot—as well as Georges St-Pierre, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Demetrius Johnson, and Fedor Emelianenko.
Fan Take:
This reflection on Anderson Silva’s career reminds fight fans how quickly fortunes can change in MMA, underscoring the unforgiving nature of the sport. As Silva’s legacy faces renewed scrutiny, future generations will debate how to balance peak dominance against the challenges fighters confront as they age, shaping the way we evaluate greatness in the octagon.
