Wanderlei Silva is not getting much sympathy from one former UFC champion after the chaotic scenes at Spaten Fight Night 2.
The 49-year-old returned to the ring for the first time since 2018, taking on two-time Brazilian boxing champion Acelino ‘Popo’ Freitas in an exhibition bout. The night was anything but smooth, with Silva’s performance and actions drawing heavy criticism.
Silva was disqualified for repeated head-butts, and things only got worse when he was floored by Freitas’ son during a post-fight brawl. It was a tough night for the Pride legend, both inside the ring and out of it.
The melee did not surprise everyone, and one of Silva’s former UFC rivals made it clear he thought the Brazilian fighter brought it all on himself.
Michael Bisping responds after Wanderlei Silva gets KO’d by opponent’s son
Michael Bisping is the latest to react to Silva’s brutal knockout following his comeback fight.
Bisping and Silva share some history, with the Brazilian winning their UFC 110 bout, a result Bisping still contests. The Englishman has also criticised Silva over past PED issues, which adds another layer to their rivalry.
After watching Silva repeatedly foul Freitas during Spaten Fight Night 2, it was not shocking to hear Bisping say he thought Silva “got what he deserved.”
“An MMA icon, an absolute legend of the game…Wanderlei Silva, was just knocked out. He was cheating, he was being a dirty fighter, he was head-butting left right, and centre…then it all kicks off,” the Briton began by saying in his YouTube channel.
“Nasty, really is. … You can’t blame (Freitas’) people, or his crowd for being p—- off.
“This is quite the fall from grace…Wanderlei Silva was someone that I was a huge fan of. 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.
“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 additional tests following post-knockout headaches
After Spaten Fight Night 2, Silva’s manager reported that there were no immediate health concerns, and the Pride icon was soon discharged from hospital.
However, after returning home, Silva said he has continued to deal with the effects of the knockout.
In a social media video, Silva explained: “They took me to the hospital yesterday, and I had some tests done, but I have since had a really bad headache.”
He also noted: “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.”
This is not the first time head trauma has been an issue for him. Last year, while supporting the UFC antitrust settlement, Silva spoke about dealing with CTE symptoms and mentioned concerns over a potential traumatic brain injury.