Former UFC middleweight champion isn't quite ready to commit to retirement despite suffering a devastating knockout loss against American Uriah Hall.
The two expert strikers did battle at the latest UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas on Sunday, with Hall securing a fourth-round stoppage and the biggest win of his career.
In the build-up to the fight, Silva told the media, the bout against Hall would be his last, after a storied career that saw the Brazilian win 16 Octagon fights in a row from 2006-13.
Silva held the UFC middleweight title for seven years, defending 11 times before dropping the strap to American Chris Weidman in 2013.
Since that loss, 'The Spider' has won just once, a decision win over Derek Brunson in 2017, dropping six fights, while a performance-enhancing drug's failure cost him a 2015 win over Nick Diaz.
Silva and Hall headlined the card at the UFC Apex and for the first three rounds, it was a vintage performance from the 44-year-old. Silva confused Hall with his trademark movement and had 'Primetime' backing up on several occasions throughout the opening 15 minutes.
But with 10 seconds left in the third round, Hall dropped Silva with a right hook, almost ending the fight. Referee Herb Dean allowed Silva time to defend himself on the canvas before the siren rang to end the frame.
But 90 seconds into the round the fight was over. Silva rushed in on a backing up Hall and left himself open for a vicious straight right hand that sent the Brazilian to the canvas. Hall followed up with several punches, leaving Dean no choice but to call and end the fight.
Hall was visibly emotional at the end of the bout, having beaten his idol and potentially ended his career.
Silva spent several minutes alone in the cage, seemingly saying goodbye to the place that had brought him so much success and fame, but in a post-fight interview, he wouldn't officially announce his retirement.
"Today, Uriah was the best," Silva said. "I’m enjoying my moment.
"Today is the final day. I’m so happy to be here… I don’t know. First, I’ll go back home, then let’s go see.
"It’s tough to say it’s my last or not. This is what I do for my entire life and with my entire heart, let’s go see."
Silva made his mixed martial arts debut in 1997 and compiled a 17-4 record over the next eight year, before jumping to the UFC in 2005.
He claimed the middleweight title from Rich Franklin in his second Octagon fight and his hit-list over the course of the next half-decade included some of the biggest names of his era.
Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami were all victims of the Sao Paulo native.
Silva's record now sits at 34-11, which also includes a loss to Kiwi-Nigerian Israel Adesanya in February 2019.
