According to multiple reports, longtime UFC matchmaker Joe Silva will be leaving the company at the year’s end. The story was broken by MMA Insider @TalkMMA and confirmed by other outlets.
The Vice President of Talent Relations has been with the company since it’s SEG days and stayed on for the entirety of the Zuffa era. The UFC was sold by Zuffa to WME-IMG in July for $4 billion.
An anonymous source told MMAjunkie that Silva profited from the UFC’s sale as an executive. This significantly influenced his decision to leave the company.
Joe Silva is best known for his match making, controlling all fights made in the Lightweight division and above. He was also a key contributor in creating the rule set and code of conduct in the late 90’s when the UFC was fighting for legalization.
In an interview with MMAjunkie’s Ben Fowlkes in 2013, Joe Silva talked about struggling with certain aspects of the job, specifically the firing of fighters.
“It’s the absolute worst. I’ve almost quit this job multiple times because of that. People have broken down and cried,” Silva said.
Silva is also known for his expressive reactions to knockouts while sitting cage-side and for being the first in the cage to congratulate fighters after a win.
I have confirmed that Joe Silva is parting ways with the UFC
— #Dizz © (@TalkMMA) August 31, 2016
Departure to come by the end of the year, I’m told. https://t.co/oMZ1VUP4je
— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohnMMA) August 31, 2016
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