Anderson Silva Would Retire Before Facing Machida or Jacare

Anderson Silva is truly one of a kind, as a fighter he is able to perform amazingly accurate and powerful techniques. He breaks his opponents down, and then finishes with clinical precision. Until UFC 162, most MMA fans thought that he was unbeatable. Turns out, he is human.

Silva has often referred to respect in the past, as a reason for putting on a snoozefest against Demian Maia, as a reason for fighting fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort and now as a reason to never fight another Brazilian.

Check out what he had to say at Monday’s Q&A in Brazil, via Bleacherreport:

“I’m a man with honor. I’d never fight Jacare or Lyoto,” Silva said. “I’d even stop fighting just not to fight them. Jacare is a guy that has been doing a great job and can earn a title shot, Lyoto is a close friend, a great athlete, and we train together, just like Jacare.”

Friendship between fighters in MMA is an oft debated matter, my opinion is that friends or enemies; it’s sport. It shouldn’t get in the way, but Silva feels differently, and that’s his choice. Many fighters in the past have gone along the same route: Rashad Evans and Jon Jones swore to never fight, but we know how that turned out.

Daniel Cormier is dropping to the 205lb. division to avoid fighting UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, because the two are teammates at AKA. I never force my opinion, and I’m not annoyed when fighters won’t scrap when friends, but would it be weird for a guy to sacrifice his title for the good of friendship?

Again, Anderson Silva would be more than willing to do so:

“If we get to a point where we’d have to fight, I’d even give up the title.”

Brazil holds it’s fighters with the utmost regard; it’s about honor and respect for them. Silva is a superstar in Brazil not only for his fighting, but for his humility and respect outside the cage. He may come across to many as brash, but there is clearly an underlying element of honor with The Spider.

That being said, how crazy will it be if Silva beats Weidman and retires rather than fighting a team mate?