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The 2023 class of the UFC Hall of Fame simply received an entire lot extra prestigious.
Former middleweight champion Anderson Silva, on the brief record of these in rivalry for biggest of all-time in MMA historical past, had his title introduced in the course of the broadcast of Saturday’s UFC 286 pay-per-view card in London. “The Spider” can be inducted into the pioneer wing and can be part of beforehand introduced contemporaries Jose Aldo and Jens Pulver on the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which is able to happen in the course of the July 3-9 International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
“Anderson Silva is among the biggest athletes of all time,” UFC president Dana White mentioned. “Anderson’s 16-fight successful streak within the UFC, 10 profitable title defenses and virtually seven years as middleweight champion have been probably the most exceptional issues we have ever seen in skilled sports activities. He was an absolute artist contained in the Octagon, and it will likely be an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer season.”
Silva (34-11, 1 NC) made a sensational UFC debut in 2006 when he knocked out Chris Leben in simply 49 seconds. One combat later, he scored the primary of two finishes towards fellow middleweight legend Rich Franklin to seize the 185-pound belt and made a then-record 10 title defenses earlier than yielding the crown to Chris Weidman in 2013.
The native of Sao Paulo, Brazil stayed related and harmful into his mid 40s in probably the most celebrated and embellished careers in fight sports activities historical past, which included such iconic moments as his front-kick knockout of Vitor Belfort in 2011, his dramatic fifth-round submission of Chael Sonnen in 2010 and a virtuoso knockout of former mild heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin in 2009.
Silva stays a mainstay within the UFC file ebook proudly owning promotional bests of longest successful streak (16), longest title reign (2,457 days), most middleweight knockdowns (13) and is tied for many knockouts at 185 kilos (8).
After turning professional in 1997, Silva gained 17 of his first 21 fights and constructed a world repute as a harmful striker beneath the Pride, Shooto and Cage Rage banners earlier than a much-hyped signing with the UFC. At his peak, Silva gained 17 consecutive bouts general from 2006 to 2012, which included 13 knockouts and two submission wins.
