Anderson Silva Shuts Down Retirement Talk, Will Return
It looks like the rollercoaster discussion of Anderson Silva’s potential retirement has taken another twist.
‘The Spider’ suffered a knee injury in a first-round TKO loss to Jared Cannonier at last weekend’s UFC 237 from Rio de Janeiro. He underwent the necessary tests and it was determined he only needed physical therapy. He then hinted he would return to fighting, as did his management.
However, things appeared to change. Earlier this week, the 44-year-old Silva hinted that he may consider retiring as mounting injuries took their toll on his career:
”Over the last four days, after another mission that wasn’t successful, I’m questioning if I should or shouldn’t continue training, dedicating, overcoming injuries, pain, etc. I ask myself, ‘Is the love that I feel for the sport consuming my mind and my body to the point that I can no longer continue?’
”Everything I’ve always done was be a good soldier in the battle field, the most well-trained, the most disciplined, and ready to die for my mission because my love for the job has always spoken louder. I’m sure that I can still do that 1,000 times more, but the last four days with pain and uncertainty, things that aren’t new in my routine, are consuming me more than before.”
Anderson Silva’s Not Stopping
But that talk didn’t last long in the latest twist. Silva told TMZ Sports (via MMA News) today that he’s no retiring. He has to o to China to make a movie, he says. He’s interested in a rematch with Cannonier when he returns:
“I’m not stopping. I’m not retiring. I just take my time now because I have my movie in China, I go to China to promote my movie and come down a little bit. Take care of my knee, start physical therapy but let’s see. I’ll come back soon.”
Apparently he’s already asked UFC President Dana White for the rematch, but White told him to rest up. Silva still thinks there’s a good chance of it happening:
“I talked to Dana [White] about that [rematch] but Dana just talked to me and said ‘go back home, rest, be careful for your knee and let’s go see’,” Silva said. “But that is the one chance, a big chance for it to happen.”
As for the knee injury, he avoided torn ligaments but suffered a dislocation, Silva described it as not good nor bad. He’s starting physical therapy for the injury soon:
“It’s not good but it’s not too bad. The good thing is I start physical therapy.”
So Silva seems to be shutting the door on retirement for now even though he openly questioned if he should continue fighting. Do you believe he should fight on, or has his time come?
