Tag: Antonio Silva

Great lengths: The 12 longest reaches in UFC history

Check out the 12 longest reaches in UFC history – with a newcomer set to break the record by 2.5 inches.

As much as skill and technique play into how MMA fights unfold, intangibles can present insurmountable obstacles for even the most well-equipped combatant.

Long reaches, and how a fighter utilizes them, can pose a myriad of problems for opponents when they struggled to get inside. In UFC history, few fighters’ biological builds have surpassed 80 inches – and fewer have creeped toward 90 inches. But it’s happened.

At Saturday’s UFC 299, the all-time record for the longest reach will be broken – by 2.5 inches.

The 12 fighters have a combined professional MMA record of 210-74-2, including a combined UFC record of 85-47.

Check out the dozen fighters listed below who were able to touch up their opponents with punches from a farther distance than any others in history, using data from database Tapology.

Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva to fight fellow UFC alum in double un-retirement fight

Despite 11 consecutive losses, ex-UFC title challenger “Bigfoot” Silva will take on the “TUF 28” heavyweight winner in Spain.

“Bigfoot” is back – again.

A former UFC heavyweight title challenger, [autotag]Antonio Silva[/autotag] hasn’t had much, if any, success in recent combat sports outings but the desire to compete continues to outweigh thoughts of retirement.

Silva (19-15) retired in June after 11 consecutive combat losses (including nine by knockout), but the retirement only lasted eight days before he publicly changed his mind. Silva, 44, now has booked a fight against another UFC alum who is coming out of retirement, “TUF 28” heavyweight winner [autotag]Juan Espino[/autotag] (10-2).

Both fighters recently announced the fight on their Instagram pages. The bout takes place March 23 at Gran Canaria Arena in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. Rules of the bout were not revealed.

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“Bigfoot” had some signature wins prior to the marathon of defeats that closed his career. On his rise to UFC title challenger notoriety, Silva defeated the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Fedor Emelianenko, Travis Browne, Alistair Overeem and Soa Palelei. His UFC Fight Night 33 main event against Mark Hunt in December 2013 is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight MMA fights of all time.

On the opposite side of the equation, Espino, 43, fights for the first time since a controversial 2021 technical split decision loss to Alexandr Romanov. Espino won “The Ultimate Fighter 28” in 2018 but only competed twice more in the UFC before he stepped away from competition due to injuries in April 2023.

“I couldn’t allow injuries to keep me from saying goodbye to mine the way I like best,” Espino wrote in Spanish on Instagram.

The 5 greatest heavyweight wars in MMA history, ranked

There’s nothing quite like a great heavyweight fight, even better when it’s an all-out war such as these classics from the UFC and more.

The heavyweight division, as defined by the unified rules of MMA via the Association of Boxing Commissions, consists of fighters who are between 206 and 265 pounds.

Prior to the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board conceiving a set of rules and weight classes in 2000 that became the base of operations we are now familiar with today, MMA was essentially the Wild West when it started out in the 1990s.

From open-weight matches to one-night tournaments, heavyweight fighters and classifications were a common occurrence in MMA’s early days. However, since the early 2000s, the heavyweight classification has largely stayed consistent across major promotions (despite some disarray amongst the lower weight classes).

With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to revisit some of the classics that this iconic division has given us throughout the years by listing my top five heavyweight wars of all time.

As usual, these lists reflect my personal tastes and biases and are not meant to serve as some ultimate authority. That said, I feel very strongly about not only my list but also my honorable mentions at the end – which are more than strong enough to serve as their own top five.

So, without further ado …

Jon Anik thinks Mark Hunt vs. Antonio Silva should enter UFC Hall of Fame: ‘One of the greatest heavyweight fights’

Jon Anik would like to see a memorable heavyweight war enter the UFC Hall of Fame.

Jon Anik would like to see a memorable heavyweight war enter the UFC Hall of Fame.

On Friday, the UFC will induct the eighth bout into the Fight Wing of its Hall of Fame: Robbie Lawler’s title-fight barnburner with Rory MacDonald at UFC 189 in 2015.

When asked which fight he’d induct next, Anik picked [autotag]Mark Hunt[/autotag]’s majority draw vs. [autotag]Antonio Silva[/autotag], which headlined a UFC Fight Night in Brisbane, Australia in 2013. Hunt won the rematch by first-round TKO at UFC 193 less than two years later.

“The lead horse: Mark Hunt, Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva on Larry Bird’s birthday, Dec. 7, 2013,” Anik told MMA Junkie Radio. “Dateline: Brisbane, Australia. One of the greatest heavyweight fights in UFC history. It happened in the A.M. in Australia, and I remember me and Kenny Florian saying to each other as we were walking out of that arena, getting soaked by the sun in Brisbane, and we were thinking, ‘Man, I hope people in the U.S. are watching this.'”

Anik isn’t sure if the UFC will agree with him due to Hunt’s differences with the promotion. Hunt filed a lawsuit against the UFC in January 2017, claiming the company knew Brock Lesnar was taking performance-enhancing drugs prior to their July 2016 fight. Lesnar won, but the decision was overturned when he failed a drug test. In 2019, the state of Nevada ruled in the UFC’s favor on all counts.

“Sometimes you don’t know promotionally where certain athletes stand, (but) obviously Mark Hunt and the UFC have their issues,” Anik said. “But to me, if I could put any fight I have done into the Hall of Fame, it would be that one or Matt Brown vs. Erik Silva main event, Cincinnati, 2014.”

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Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva announces comeback eight days after retirement

There have been some short retirements throughout MMA history, but Antonio Silva is likely toward the top of the list.

There have been some short retirements throughout mixed martial arts history, but [autotag]Antonio Silva[/autotag] is likely toward the top of the list.

Sunday, “Bigfoot” Silva (19-15) revealed in an Instagram post he intends to fight again. The “comeback” comes just eight days after he announced his retirement following an 11th-straight combat sports defeat.

“Let’s do a rematch @kingdom.fighting @giompeltier,” Silva wrote. “I’m ready and I’m coming back from retirement to fight again because I know I didn’t lose.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CtnZKFBtxgg/

Silva, 43, competed Saturday at Kingdom Fighting 1 in Grenoble, France, where he lost a unanimous decision to Salim El Oussaidi (6-1). Since then, he’s disputed the judges’ decision, which was only the second non-knockout/TKO loss of his 11-fight skid.

“I’m very happy and satisfied,” Silva said, after he placed his gloves in the center of the cage. “We never want to stop, no professional athlete wants to stop, even in volleyball or football, but everything has a time, and I did this for 19 years.”

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“Bigfoot” had some signature wins prior to the marathon of defeats that closed his career. On his rise to UFC title challenger notoriety, Silva defeated the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Fedor Emelianenko, Travis Browne, Alistair Overeem, and Soa Palelei.

His UFC Fight Night 33 main event against Mark Hunt in December 2013 is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight MMA fights of all time. The five-round battle was initially ruled a draw, before it was overturned to a no contest due to a positive drug test by Silva.

Former UFC title challenger Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva retires after 11th straight loss

Ex-UFC title challenger Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva says he’s hanging up the MMA gloves for good following his 11th straight combat sports loss.

Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva says he is hanging up the gloves – for real, this time.

A former UFC heavyweight title challenger, Silva (19-15), competed Saturday at Kingdom Fighting 1 in Grenoble, France, where he lost a unanimous decision to [autotag]Salim El Oussaidi[/autotag] (6-1).

Silva once challenged for the UFC heavyweight title in an unsuccessful attempt vs. Cain Velasquez at UFC 160 in May 2013. The loss kicked off a 1-14 (with one no contest) stretch in combat sports leading to his retirement.

In his final 16 combat sports fights, Silva was knocked out 12 times, which lead many fans, media members, and others to call for his retirement.

While Silva initially said he would not compete again following a July 2022 boxing loss, he ultimately returned for Saturday’s bout.

Following the loss Saturday, Silva took off his gloves and laid them in the cage, symbolizing his retirement again. This time, he said, his decision is “100 percent” final.

“It was a great fight,” Silva said Saturday during an Instagram Live (per MMA Fighting). “We tried the knockout all the time, he and I, and in the end I retired. I put down my gloves in the center of the octagon. To me, everything has a beginning and an end, and I’m very happy and satisfied. We never want to stop, no professional athlete wants to stop, even in volleyball or football, but everything has a time, and I did this for 19 years.”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtU-eW6vzzN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Silva, 43, had some signature wins prior to the marathon of defeats that closed his career. On his rise to UFC title challenger notoriety, Silva defeated the likes of Andrei Arlovski, Fedor Emelianenko, Travis Browne, Alistair Overeem, and Soa Palelei.

His UFC Fight Night 33 main event against Mark Hunt in December 2013 is widely regarded as one of the best heavyweight MMA fights of all time. The five-round battle was initially ruled a draw, before it was overturned to a no contest due to a positive drug test by Silva.

UFC veterans in MMA action June 8-10

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in combat sports action across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is back on pay-per-view for UFC 289 in Vancouver, Canada.

The event features a women’s bantamweight championship fight between two-division champion Amanda Nunes and first-time title challenger Irene Aldana.

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

This week, there are a total of 13 veterans of the global MMA leader competing in MMA this week from June 8-10.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Farewell, fighters: A list of former UFC champs and more MMA notables who retired in 2022

The MMA world said goodbye to more than 35 notable fighters in 2022, from former UFC champions to future UFC Hall of Famers and more.

MMA is a constantly evolving sport with a revolving door of athletes entering and exiting. Currently fighters from the era that helped make the sport so popular are beginning to trickle away from competition and hang up their gloves to move on to the next chapters in their lives.

If there’s one thing that’s well known about combat sports retirements, though, it’s that they often don’t last long. The urge to compete and, perhaps more importantly, get a payday will continue to drive fighters back, even well beyond their expiration dates.

In 2022, there was an uptick in notable fighters announcing they are retired, and we have a list of those who opted to walk away last year.

Winless since 2015, former UFC title challenger ‘Bigfoot’ Silva meets Haim Gozali at Brave CF

‘Bigfoot’ Silva books return despite massive losing streak.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated at 3:20 p.m. ET on Dec. 27 to clarify that Silva vs. Gozali will serve as a grappling match rather than an MMA bout)

In the midst of a massive losing streak, [autotag]Antonio Silva[/autotag] is back for another contest.

The former UFC title challenger has booked a return against ex-Bellator fighter [autotag]Haim Gozali[/autotag] in a grappling match at a Brave CF event on March 9 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Both fighters confirmed the matchup online, but the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Neither competitor revealed details of the grappling match. Silva (19-14 MMA) has competed all his career at heavyweight, and Gozali (15-6 MMA) has been fighting at welterweight and most recently middleweight, so there should be a significant size disparity.

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Silva hasn’t won a fight since stopping Soa Palelei at UFC 190 in 2015. The Brazilian has competed 10 times since – six in MMA and once each in kickboxing, boxing, and bareknuckle boxing – and has lost all 10 bouts by stoppage. The 43-year-old is 1-12 in his past 13 combat sports competitions.

Gozali, 49, on the other hand, has not suffered a loss since his Bellator career came to an end when he dropped a decision to Ryan Couture at Bellator 209 in 2018. Gozali has won seven consecutive MMA bouts by submission and one bare-knuckle boxing bout by stoppage under the BKFC banner in 2021.

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Former UFC title challenger ‘Bigfoot’ Silva booked for next fight – against 102-9-1 kickboxer

Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva has been knocked out twice since June 13, but the former UFC title challenger is already booked again.

It continues to be a busy year of competition for former UFC heavyweight title challenger [autotag]Antonio Silva[/autotag] despite his woes to return into the win column.

Knocked out twice since June 13, “Bigfoot” Silva has been booked again – this time for Sept. 10 against Azerbaijani kickboxing and muay thai standout Zabit Samedov, who holds a record of 102-9-1. The bout will take place in Azerbaijan under the MixFight Championship banner, the promotion recently announced.

Silva, 42, has won one of his most recent 15 combat sports appearances. He has been knocked out in 12 of those fights. He was knocked out cold in an MMA bout June 24 and then standing in a kickboxing bout July 8.

Silva’s lengthy skid and history of knockouts have made it difficult, if not impossible, for him to be licensed in the United States under the watch of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC).

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Many overseas countries and territories, like Azerbaijan, do not fall under the regulation of the ABC, thus licensing issues do not apply. Silva’s ex-manager Alex Davis recently said he and others tried to prevent Silva from continuing to fight, but that the former UFC heavyweight title challenger steered his ship against the tides.

“You cannot defend a man from his own self,” Davis wrote. “I did my very best. The plan was for him to stop fighting 8 kos ago. He made the $. I let go at that point, could not be a part of this. But he always goes in with a big heart and never reminisces on a loss.”

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