Video: Anderson Silva Still Retiring, Plans on Growing Pot-Belly
Check out this revealing interview that Sherdog did with Anderson Silva in Rio de Janeiro, in which the Spider delves a little deeper into his motivations for retiring next year. First, he repeats his claim that he’ll be gone after the six remaining fights on his UFC contract are up, but he estimates that he’ll be finished with those fights in June 2009 — which would mean he’d fight almost every month next year. “Everything has its time,” he says, “and I believe my time is already over.”
When asked if financial concerns were behind his desire to leave the UFC, and whether he was bothered by the fact that some UFC fighters who aren’t even champions get paid much more than he does, Silva says “It has nothing to do with money because I’m a humble person who has an ordinary life. Actually I never did it for money…Everything I could do for MMA, I already did. Now it’s time to help the new generation.”
By the end of next year, Silva says he’ll already be retired. “You will not see myself pinching a fly anymore…I’m going to be fat, with a big belly by the side of the Octagon, eating popcorn behind the scenes, making my imitations and screaming for the fighters: ‘Go there! Kick his face! Put him down!’ It’s going to be really funny!”
As for his upcoming UFC 90 fight against Patrick Cote, Silva had this to say: “I’m not able to predict the future, but I can say it’s going to be fun. He’s going to beat me a little bit, and I’m going to beat him a little bit…If God permits, I’ll keep my belt.”
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October 15th, 2008 at 6:09 am
A true champion
October 15th, 2008 at 6:11 am
He is So Freaking Cool.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:25 am
how can anyone not love this motherfucker?
October 15th, 2008 at 6:28 am
Man what a great human….that murders people in the cage. I hope I can get the chance to see him fight live before he retires.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Anderson Silva Should Fight Crime
October 15th, 2008 at 6:41 am
It is a pity but it’s his decision. I’ll be sad to see my favorite fighter hang up his gloves. Hopefully he’ll go out with a bang and get some big fights set up.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:59 am
he is definitely a champion i’ll remember for the rest of my life
October 15th, 2008 at 7:00 am
wow..nuthuggers! cant wait for him to loose. this guy sure is good, but is hyped even more. And he is so LAME with his lame jokes..belly..haha..that is sooo funny..lets all laugh with him as long as he keeps on winning fights..come on nuthuggers!! HAHAAA..WHAT A GREEEAT GUY
October 15th, 2008 at 7:01 am
I guess that ButtFlies has a pot-belly but never fought nor won anything.
Come on guy, don’t be angry when you see a true champion that stay humble and quite funny.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:01 am
hehe..thats kinda funny
October 15th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Love him or hate him you have to respect him
October 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
‘Go there! Kick his face! Put him down!’
‘Go there! Kick his face! Put him down!’
‘Go there! Kick his face! Put him down!’
That will be really funny
October 15th, 2008 at 7:24 am
He’ll grow a pot-belly while Diaz will just grow pot.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:29 am
So sad that he wants to retire while he still pwns.
At least he won’t become the next Ken Shamrock, who doesn’t realize when you lose 8 of your last 10 fight, its time to hang up the gloves.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:39 am
sounds like he might be suffering from some delerium himself… he never makes any real sense with what he says - could be a fault of the translation but what does it mean when he says “my time is already over?” he never explains himself clearly… it’s obviously not his time yet… he’s still champ and still has six more fights left, is still young, etc. etc. I honestly think it’s just too easy for him and he no longer has motivation.
Does anyone else notice how he seems to have some disdain towards Hendo? After his fight with Henderson, he said “the only real champion i’ve fought in the octagon was rich franklin.” And now he says he was rooting for Rousimar… Just my thoughts…
October 15th, 2008 at 7:43 am
too bad that a great fighter with such a great attitude leaves the MMA world. As said before, a true champion!
If only the jackasses that do so much harm to the image of MMA would understand that there is a time for retirement…
October 15th, 2008 at 7:51 am
I’m really hoping he gets set up with interesting fights from here on out. GSP/Shogun/Liddell/Machida/Forrest, are all guys I’d love to see him take on in SuperFights.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:50 am
What does he mean by “You will not see myself pinching a fly anymore”? Is that some sort of allusion to him being “the spider” or is that a brazilian slang term?
October 15th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Eldest Browning Boy PWNS Silvia
October 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
@HuhWhatOh,
I think he means that he won’t be partaking in anymore violence once he retires.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I hope someone beats Silva, maybe that would make him re-consider. I want to see him fight gsp/penn thats maybe it i dont want to see another “elusive” Machida fight and Lidell hasnt been doing so well
October 15th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Silva thinks that he has acomplid too much in mma? For him to legitamize himelf as a best pound for pounder, he has to have a rematch with hendo. He also needs to fight okami. And it wouldnt hurt to throw in some mixed weight super fights. Someone in his camp once said that GSP was not ready or good enough or somehting to fight anderson. Thats bull! The problem is that GSP is not tailor made for silva and has some real dangerous weapons against him.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:53 am
but he is still awesome
October 15th, 2008 at 9:56 am
also, he has not proven anything in his light heavyweight spectacle. actually, he did prove that he is comfortable and probably a natural at 205. So his lame excuse not to fight topugher fights at 205 is that the belt belongs to boringass machida? that doesn’t mean he can’t fight chuck or wandy. or shogun, or rampage, or forrest (after he loses his belt). he is probably the same size naturally then these guys, if not bigger. what a dick.
October 15th, 2008 at 9:57 am
actually he is prtty cool, but still. if he retires too early then he is a dick…kind of
October 15th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Anderson Silva 08′
“Lets turn the oval Office into the Octagon”
-The Spider
October 15th, 2008 at 10:18 am
People can allllways find reasons to hate. Let the man retire when he’s on top! He doesn’t need to prove anything else to the world.
October 15th, 2008 at 10:22 am
The night Liddell got KTFO!!! by Sugar. FUCK CHUCK!! i wouldnt pay to see Sylva vs that overrated past HIS prime has been (talking about a person who SHOULD retire!!) wow if Sugar could wait on Liddell to drop that hand AS HE DOES IN EVERY FUCKING FIGHT hes ever been in. Imagine wut The Spider will do once he seems him drop that hand again … And yes he will do it again and again its his nature hes not gonna change it ask Jardine as well! Fuck Machido boring ass fighter i’ve only seen one person run around a ring more then he does umm Kalib atleast he got his ass thrown out for it not a title shot!! Is Shogun gonna be anywhere near his former self? If he can put a string of one or two wins together against upper class fighters i would think he might be a good match up. GSP is obviously the DREAM fight you think Spider might be a lil scurred of him? kinda sounds it As for Penn after GSP smokes him im pretty sure he’ll be staying down with the little boyz for a while. But lets not get a head of ourselves i definetly think Cote is gonna put some fear into Spider I could definetly see an upset possibly happening there it would just take one of Cote’s murderous hooks and it’s lights out!! and the there is always HENDO HENDO HENDO!!IF Spider wants full respect as being the best P4P Hes FIRST deinetly gotta take care of Hendo Then GSP otherwise i just see him as one of the greatest in his weight catergory
October 15th, 2008 at 11:58 am
i don’t want to see him go, but he has earned the right to call it whenever he chooses. he has proven about all he needs to. and what’s the deal with him hating hendo?
October 15th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Anderson Silva isn’t about the money. He is about the baller fur coats the UFC gives him instead of bonuses.
October 15th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
@ Anonymous - Anderson Silva doesn’t have to make sense. Yoda doesn’t either and both kick ass.
October 15th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I think a lot of people are overlooking those 6 fights he still has on his contract. Yes there are several matches we’d like to see him in, and we STILL CAN. Even if he fights 4 times in 2009 that’s still leaves 2 fights for 2010. I don’t know how he sees himself retired by 2009, there must be something lost in translation or maybe he means 2010.
But either way, 6 fights is plenty. Plus his trainer said before that he wants Anderson to revisit the question of retirement again once it is closer. He may get to that last fight and decide he still feels great and could do a few more.
Let’s all just cross our fingers and enjoy these last 6 fights.
October 15th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Great champion, always humble, funny(whatever the other idiots say) respect every fighter…gonna be a great lost for the mma world when he retire but i agree with him, he accomplished all that he had to.
October 15th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
I can honestly say that Anderson Silva is far and away my favorite fighter. Some of you are hating on him and I think its just a reaction to the praise he is always getting. Its lonely at the top and people will always hate. He is a humble man who shows respect for his opponents and always has class in and out of the octagon. btw please dont kid yourself. GSP would get absolutely owned by Silva. He would have to move up to middleweight for the fight and Silva would dwarf him. I love GSP so please dont think that I am downing him. I just think that it would be an unfair fight. I hope GSP destroys Penn aka. the most overrated fighter in the history of mma.
October 16th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Damn that really sucks to know he’s retiring.. I just know once he’s safely out of reach all the fighters will start bitch talking BRING SILVA OUT OF RETIREMENT I’D FUCK HIM UP. He’s probably one of the greatest mma fighters of all time and how can you hate on him? He’s got a great attitude, great work ethic, amazing fighting skills and deep respect for his opponents.
October 16th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Anderson’s statement is nothing more than genius promoting. Promoting that was probably masterminded by the people over at the UFC. It’s genius because
a) it’s very believable
b) it benefits all parties
c) it’s not binding and has no negative consequence
What more does the UFC like than to build unique and intriguing backstories around their fights/fighters. With the idea that you may only be able to see The Spider in action for a limited time, it allows the UFC to create huge fights that will have huge PPV buys. Anderson will probably be paid more. If he loses, they can build a story around how he lost motivation and is on a comeback. If he wins, it just adds to his aura of supreme invincibility and also his likability. As long as he stays healthy, the six fights will take him 2 years to complete, and then a 35-year old, very well-paid, Anderson who has fought a who’s who list of fighters will legitimately have a decision to make about retirement. Genius I tell you.