Dana White disclosed that Anderson Silva has stopped speaking to him following their conversation about Silva's UFC career ending. White told Silva it was over with the promotion, and the former middleweight champion has not communicated with him since.
Dana White has revealed that Anderson Silva cut off communication with him after White informed the Brazilian legend that his time in the UFC was finished.
White disclosed the conversation in which he told Silva directly that his run with the promotion had come to an end. According to White, Silva has not spoken to him since that exchange took place.
Silva, now 51, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history. The Brazilian southpaw compiled a professional record of 34-11-0 over a career that included a historic reign as UFC middleweight champion. Standing six-foot-two with a 77-inch reach, Silva was a nightmare matchup for opponents throughout his prime, landing significant strikes at a rate of 3.05 per minute with a remarkable 61 percent striking accuracy — numbers that underline just how precise and dangerous he was inside the octagon.
Why it matters
- Silva's silence signals a fractured relationship between one of the UFC's all-time marquee stars and its president, a rare and notable public rift
- The departure closes the book on a UFC chapter that included some of the most celebrated performances in the promotion's history
- The fallout raises questions about how the UFC handles transitions for aging combat sports legends
