Anderson Silva has responded sharply to Dana White after the UFC CEO revisited the end of Silva’s run in the promotion, with the former middleweight champion firing back on social media and rejecting White’s version of events.
White recently said in an interview with Rolling Stone that Silva “won’t talk to me to this day” after White told him his UFC career was over following the loss to Uriah Hall in 2020. White said Silva was upset by the decision and argued that fighters often do not want to hear that their time is up, even when they are clearly nearing the end of their run. White described Silva’s final UFC stretch as one that included “eight or nine or 10” losses, while noting that Silva later kept fighting in boxing.
Anderson Silva Takes Aim at Dana White
Silva answered where he used the phrase “the bald guy” while dismissing White’s remarks. Silva said White still talks about his achievements years after he left the UFC, and claimed he “saved the promotion more than once.” Silva also pushed back on White’s account of his record, saying it appeared White “doesn’t know how to count.”
The exchange adds another layer to a relationship that has seemed strained since Silva’s UFC exit. White has said he told Silva it was over because the Brazilian was in his 40s and coming off a long skid, while Silva appears to believe the UFC boss handled the ending poorly. MMA Fighting noted that Silva has since continued competing outside the UFC, including boxing matches against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley.
Silva remains one of the sport’s most decorated names, with a title reign that helped define the UFC’s rise in the 2010s. Even in disagreement, both sides are talking about the same thing: Silva’s place in the sport and the point at which a champion should decide to stop.
