Thiago Silva is one of the top fighters in the light-heavyweight division.
Twilight of Silva's UFC Career[]
Silva was most recently next set to face Tim Boetsch. Unfortunately, Silva suffered an injury and he was forced to pull out a week and a half before the fight. He was replaced by UFC newcomer Todd Brown.
After recovering Silva next faced Brandon Vera, winning via unanimous decision after breaking Vera's nose and sending him out of the UFC.
Silva was next set to face former UFC light-heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson. He tested positive for drugs about a month after UFC 125 and was pulled from the fight. He was replaced by Rashad Evans.
A matter of weeks after the incident began, Silva's win over Vera was changed to a no-contest. Silva was put on a year-long suspension from fighting. In January 2012, just after Silva was released from the suspension, Vera -- who had returned to the UFC late in 2011 -- called out Silva. The rematch was set to happen but Vera was sidelined with another recurring injury and Silva was instead switched to face Croatian striker Igor Pokrajac.
Pride veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was soon injured and Thiago stepped in to replace Nogueira against top Swedish prospect Alexander Gustaffson. Gustaffson defeated Silva via dominant unanimous decision.
A few weeks later, Silva signed to face former UFC light-heavyweight champion and former Pride grand prix champion Mauricio Rua. The fight didn't materialize and Silva next faced undefeated prospect Stanislav Nedkov in the UFC's first China show. Silva originally handed Nedkov his first loss via third round arm triangle choke submission but unfortunately afterwards he tested positive for marijuana. The win was overturned to a no-contest and Silva was suspended.
After coming off his suspension, Silva signed in March 2013 to welcome former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Rafael Cavalcante to the UFC. Silva knocked Cavalcante out in the first round for his most impressive victory in the past few years. The win also earned Silva Knockout of the Night and earned both Silva and Cavalcante Fight of the Night honors.
After the Cavalcante triumph, Thiago Silva was almost immediately called out by heavyweight contender and Strikeforce veteran Antonio Silva. Apparently there was no love lost between the two men and both seemed serious about cutting down or going up in weight to fight each other at a catchweight.
Instead Silva signed to fight Matt Hamill. Despite showing impressive improvements in his striking early Hamill soon gassed and stood in front of Silva taking punishing leg kicks en route to a split decision loss.
Rumors circulated about Silva perhaps next facing undefeated British prospect Jimi Manuwa.
Instead Silva next signed to fight Strikeforce veteran Ovince St. Preux. Silva was quickly injured and forced to pull out just 24 hours after the fight was announced. The fight was rescheduled.
In February 2014 everything went completely wrong for Silva. With an ongoing domestic dispute with his wife Silva reportedly got intoxicated and went into his jiu jitsu school with a weapon and made threats. He then holed up in his home for a standoff with SWAT and other law enforcement units before being tased, arrested and held without bond on charges of attempted murder. UFC president Dana White was quoted as saying Silva would "never fight in the UFC again."
The next day after the criminal charges were dropped on September 4, Silva was re-signed by the UFC. However, on September 19, the UFC released a statement on their website stating that due to new video and audio evidence they had received that day, Silva has been terminated from his UFC contract.. again.
Silva then signed with WSOF to make his debut in a rematch with Hamill who had also been released. After some tumult in which several different matchups were possible for Silva, he ended up fighting late replacement for an injured Hamill, Teddy Holder. Holder knocked out Silva in the first round for a stunning upset.
Several months later Silva stepped in to replace an injured Tyrone Spong against Strikeforce and UFC veteran Mike Kyle.
Fights[]
- Thiago Silva vs. Rubens Macula - The fight was Silva's MMA debut.
- Thiago Silva vs. Dave Dalgliesh - Silva came into the fight undefeated of course against the veteran Dave Dalgliesh.
- Thiago Silva vs. Tatsuya Mizuno - Silva came in undefeated. The fight was the last fight before Silva entered the UFC. The fight was for Pancrase.
- Thiago Silva vs. Tomasz Drwal - Silva came into the fight undefeated and it was Tomasz Drwal's UFC debut.
- Thiago Silva vs. Houston Alexander
- Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes - The fight was Antonio Mendes's UFC debut and he was on an eleven fight win streak when he met the undefeated Silva.
- Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva - The two fighters came in undefeated. With the fight, Lyoto Machida earned the title shot against fellow undefeated champion Rashad Evans for the light-heavyweight championship, the first time two undefeated fighters faced off for a belt. The fight was Thiago's first loss in his MMA career.
- Thiago Silva vs. Keith Jardine
- Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva - The fight was between the two fighters who had previously been undefeated and now had only one loss -- to Lyoto Machida.
- Thiago Silva vs. Brandon Vera - Thiago tested positive for banned substances after the bout. Brandon Vera suffered a broken nose during the bout. Vera was cut after the bout, but then Silva tested positive and the fight's result was switched to a neutral no-contest.
- Alexander Gustafsson vs. Thiago Silva - Silva was a replacement for an injured Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.
- Thiago Silva vs. Stanislav Nedkov - Silva's submission win was overturned to a no-contest.
- Thiago Silva vs. Rafael Cavalcante
- Terry Holder vs. Thiago Silva - The fight was in the semifinals of the WSOF light-heavyweight title tournament. Terry Holder was a very late replacement for Matt Hamill, about three hours' notice.