Wanderlei Silva expressed serious concern about his health a year before his comeback ended in disaster.
Things did not go to plan for Silva in his return to action after seven years away. The Pride and UFC legend made a controversial comeback at the age of 49, having not competed since Bellator 206 in 2018.
The UFC Hall of Famer had a difficult time of things back then, with ‘Rampage’ Jackson knocking out Silva to seemingly end the Brazilian’s career. The result marked his ninth loss in 13 fights, a run that included a number of devastating KOs.
That appeared to leave ‘The Axe Murderer’ experiencing the concerning health problems that can come with a lengthy career in fighting. But that did not stop Silva’s return from being sanctioned on Saturday, and it unfortunately ended in brutal fashion.
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Wanderlei Silva revealed severe health issues in letter to support the UFC antitrust settlement
Wanderlei Silva returned at Spaten Fight Night 2 on September 27, facing former two-division Brazilian boxing champion Acelino Freitas in the ring. Their exhibition match came after Anderson Silva faced Chael Sonnen in the promotion’s very first headliner last year.
While those two UFC legends fought to a draw in a largely lackluster affair, there was nothing dull about how the latest event concluded.
After some controversial tactics from the Pride legend, Silva was disqualified for repeatedly head-butting Freitas. That resulted in both teams furiously storming the ring, sparking an all-out brawl featuring former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum.
Silva was brutally knocked out in the brawl by a man wearing a tuxedo. The scary scene of the Brazilian’s lifeless body being dragged away from the melee brought some comments from 2024 back to the surface.
While petitioning for the UFC antitrust settlement to be approved, Silva revealed the worrying health problems he was suffering from, including the symptoms of CTE.
“I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including depression, mood swings, and irritability,” Silva wrote.
“I suffer from sleep apnea and have difficulty sleeping and breathing. That I can recall, I have had four surgeries on my nose, one on my face, two on my left knee, one on my right knee and one on my elbow.”
Silva provided a positive update from the hospital after Saturday’s event, but that likely won’t do much to squash the frustration surrounding his ability to return at 49 despite his self-admitted health issues.
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What Dana White said about Wanderlei Silva’s comeback
Silva’s comeback was originally set to come in MMA under the banner of the Global Fight League, a team-based promotion that signed a host of prominent names before failing to stage a single event and disappearing from the scene.
‘The Axe Murderer’ was among the likes of Luke Rockhold, Tyron Woodley, Paige VanZant, Alexander Gustafsson, and Frank Mir on the roster.
Dana White reacted to Silva’s comeback plan during a December 2024 press conference, simply saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
The UFC president will likely be hoping he didn’t have to see it, like most, when footage of Silva’s scary KO in the Spaten Fight Night brawl reaches him.