A former UFC champion seems to show little sympathy for Wanderlei Silva after his recent controversial return to combat sports. At 49, Silva made a contentious comeback in an exhibition boxing match at Spaten Fight Night 2, marking his first appearance since 2018.
The event, however, did not unfold favorably for ‘The Axe Murderer.’ Not only was he disqualified for repeated head-butting against two-time Brazilian boxing champion Acelino Freitas, but a chaotic post-fight brawl ensued, culminating in Silva being knocked out by Freitas`s son.
In light of the incident, one of Silva`s past UFC rivals believes Silva brought the outcome upon himself.
Michael Bisping Reacts to Ex-Opponent Wanderlei Silva’s KO
Michael Bisping is the latest prominent figure to comment on Silva’s unsettling knockout following his comeback fight. Bisping, who maintains he was unjustly defeated by Silva at UFC 110, also cites Silva’s history with performance-enhancing drugs as a factor in his strong disapproval of the Pride legend.
Considering these sentiments, Bisping’s assertion that Silva “got what he deserved” after his ex-opponent`s repeated fouls during Spaten Fight Night 2 was perhaps to be expected.
“An MMA icon, an absolute legend of the game…Wanderlei Silva, was just knocked out,” Bisping declared on his YouTube channel. He added, “He was cheating, he was being a dirty fighter, he was head-butting left, right, and center…then it all kicks off.”
Bisping characterized the situation as “Nasty, really is.” He further stated, “You can’t blame (Freitas’) people, or his crowd, for being p***ed off.”
“This is quite the fall from grace…Wanderlei Silva was someone that I was a huge fan of,” Bisping continued. “These days, I’m not the biggest fan. I’ve always had a strong stance against people who take steroids.”
“I did share the Octagon with Wanderlei Silva. … If you ask me, I was robbed on the judges’ scorecards. … I thought I won round one (and) round two. … I was robbed.”
Bisping concluded regarding the boxing match, “In this boxing fight, he kind of got what he deserved. … We saw Wanderlei Silva head-butting his opponent. … It was nasty to see that at 49 years old.”
Wanderlei Silva to Undergo Further Medical Tests Following Knockout
Initially, a positive health update emerged from Silva’s manager following the tumultuous conclusion of Spaten Fight Night 2, indicating no immediate severe damage was found in the hospital.
However, since his discharge, the Brazilian fighter reportedly has been experiencing the lingering effects of the intense knockout.
“They took me to the hospital yesterday, and I had some tests done, but I have since had a really bad headache,” Silva shared in a social media video.
He added, “I will do more tests here in Curitiba to be able to figure out what happened to me and if I have any more serious head injuries.”
These comments are particularly worrisome, especially in light of the Pride legend’s past remarks supporting the UFC antitrust settlement last year, where he expressed concerns about “traumatic brain injury” and symptoms akin to CTE.
