UFC inducts ‘Axe Murderer’ Wanderlei Silva to Hall of Fame, ending longtime feud with Dana White and Co

Wanderlei Silva was once one of the biggest stars of combat sports while fighting in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Now, because of his action-packed performances in the past for the promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has decided to induct him into the Hall of Fame.

The retired MMA fighter was present at the Honda Center in California, witnessing the UFC 298 action live. While addressing the presence of their veteran fighter at the arena, the UFC finally decided to take the opportunity to honor Wanderlei Silva with the biggest honor of the UFC.

Wanderlei Silva is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame

Recently, the UFC took the opportunity to honor veteran fighter Wanderlei Silva during the UFC 298 event while he was present in the arena. Wanderlei competed in the UFC from 2007 to 2013, delivering numerous thrilling fights for the fans. Out of nine fights, Silva secured victory in four, while his five losses still provided plenty of exciting moments for fans to enjoy.

Wanderlei Silva’s final appearance in the UFC octagon was against Brian Stann, who secured victory via knockout in the second round on March 3rd, 2013. Now, after 11 years, the UFC has deemed it the appropriate moment to honor their veteran fighter by inducting him into the UFC Hall of Fame on February 17th.

After retiring in 2014, 47-year-old Wanderlei Silva returned to fighting twice for Bellator in 2017 and 2018. Unfortunately, both bouts ended in favor of Silva’s opponents, with Chael Sonnen defeating him in 2017 and Quinton Jackson in 2018.

Wanderlei Silva and the UFC’s beef explored

“The Axe Murderer,” Wanderlei Silva, was known as one of the most formidable competitors in every fight he participated in. In his UFC debut match on October 16th, 1998, Silva faced Vitor Belfort which was a significant highlight in his career. Despite the anticipation, Silva failed to secure a victory against Belfort, losing the fight in just 44 seconds.

Another notable matchup for Silva came at UFC 25, where he competed for the UFC light heavyweight championship against Tito Ortiz on April 14th. Despite an impressive seven-fight win streak leading up to the bout, Silva once again came up short and lost the fight.

One of the most memorable segments of Wanderlei Silva’s career was his rivalry with Chael Sonnen in 2013–14. During the Ultimate Fighter: Brazil season, they were set to face off against each other as coaches.

Following the completion of the show, their bout was scheduled for May 31, but it was ultimately canceled and rescheduled for July 5. Silva expressed frustration with the UFC’s decision, feeling they were pushing him to fight earlier than he had planned, despite being prepared to fight until the end of the year.

As per ESPN sources, Wanderlei Silva revealed, “They kept pressuring me. I said I could only fight at the end of the year. They opened their eyes wide. I was not in the physical condition necessary to fight for the July card. My body wasn’t responding, and I couldn’t train.”

Disappointed Wanderlei Silva announced his retirement in a YouTube video in 2014. “For those reasons, I come here with a very heavy weight in my heart. Today is a very sad day for me. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep being treated this way. I am stepping down from the ring. After today, Wanderlei Silva will not fight again. My career is over because I don’t have the stage to perform where athletes get the proper respect.”

In 2017, Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva did settle their rivalry, where Sonnen secured the victory, but the bout didn’t get much attention after fans observed both fighters were out of their prime time.

What are your thoughts about the UFC sidelining all the beef with Wanderlei Silva and giving their biggest honor to their ex-fighter?