Wanderlei Silva
Encyclopedia
Wanderlei César da Silva (icon ; vɐ̃dɛɾˈlej ˈsiɫvɐ; Vandarei Shiuba; born July 3, 1976), nicknamed "The Axe Murderer", is a Brazil
ian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's
Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC). Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in knockout
or referee stoppage due to strikes. His style includes engaging opponents with punches and knees from the Muay Thai clinch. He holds the record for the most wins and knockouts in Pride FC history. He is currently ranked as #21 best middleweight fighter in the world by FightMatrix.com.
Silva began his training under Rudimar Fedrigo at the Chute Boxe Academy
in his hometown of Curitiba
, Brazil. Although he specializes in muay Thai
, he has also trained and received his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
from trainer Cristiano Marcello
. Silva was given the nickname "Cachorro Louco" ("Mad Dog") in Brazil because of his aggressive style and his pre-fight opponent "stare down". He is the former IVC
light heavyweight champion, former Pride middleweight (205 lb) champion, and the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix champion.
After spending a majority of his career in Brazil, Silva moved to the United States
in 2007 and he trained at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas
. Preferring a more aggressive gym atmosphere, like he had at Chute Boxe, he opened his own gym, The Wand Fight Team Training & Conditioning Center, in Las Vegas
. Silva currently trains there with his former Chute Boxe coach Rafael Cordeiro
.
. As a late teen he joined the military and was quickly recognized for his fighting talents and rose up in the ranks. Silva enlisted after already winning fight tournaments in his age group in Brazil.
Silva's first professional match was on November 1, 1996, in the Brazilian Vale Tudo
Fighting organization (BVF), where he knocked out Dilson Filho via strikes at BVF 6. He fought in one other match in BVF, BVF 10 on July 1, 1997, against Marcelo Barbosa, who submitted due to a shoulder injury.
Silva fought six matches in four different IVC events, IVC 2, IVC 6, IVC 9 and IVC 10, from 1997 to 1999. He won five of these matches by KO/TKO, with his one loss being the result of a cut stoppage against Artur Mariano in the IVC 2 show on September 15, 1997. The cut was above his left eyelid and opened back up several times, partially because Silva continued to use the cut side of his head to inflict many headbutts on Mariano over the course of the match. The doctor observed the cut several times before the fight was ended.
Silva culminated his IVC career by winning the promotion's light heavyweight belt with a submission win over Eugene Jackson in the IVC 10 show on April 27, 1999. It was after this fight that Silva earned the nickname "The Axe Murderer".
Silva participated in one Meca World Vale Tudo event, Meca 2 on August 12, 2000, where he knocked out Todd Medina with muay thai knees.
, in a match against Vitor Belfort
. The match has arguably been Silva's worst defeat in his career, lasting only 44 seconds and ending with Silva being knocked down by Belfort's punches then being stopped by the referee. Silva won his next UFC match on May 7, 1999, at UFC 20
where he knocked out Tony Petarra with knees. On April 14, 2000, Silva was given a chance to fight for the UFC light heavyweight
championship, but lost via decision to Tito Ortiz
at UFC 25
.
event on September 12, 1999, winning against Carl Malenko by decision. From 1999 to 2004, Silva won eighteen-straight fights in Pride, excluding a draw against Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
(under slightly modified rules in which if the match would go the distance, the bout would be declared a draw) and a no contest against Gilbert Yvel
(Silva accidentally kicked Yvel in the groin), giving him a twenty-fight unbeaten streak. Silva's reputation as a formidable MMA fighter grew as he developed a successful 5 year win record in the middle weight division (205 lb) of Pride.
Silva fought Japanese
superstar Kazushi Sakuraba
for the first time at Pride 13: Collision Course
on March 25, 2001. Silva won via TKO (knees and soccer kick) at 1:38 into the first round. At Pride 17: Championship Chaos
on November 3, 2001, Silva won the inaugural Pride middleweight (205 lb) championship when he defeated Sakuraba for the second time. Sakuraba suffered a broken clavicle
and was forced to withdraw after the first round, giving Silva a TKO win via doctor's stoppage. The two fought for a third time on August 10, 2003 at Pride Total Elimination 2003
, part of Pride's middleweight tournament. Silva knocked out Sakuraba with a two punch combination at 5:01 into the first round.
Silva faced Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at Pride Final Conflict 2003
on November 9, 2003. Silva won by TKO after delivering seventeen consecutive knees to Jackson. Silva became Pride's 2003 tournament champion with the win. The two fought again on October 31, 2004 at Pride 28: High Octane
. Jackson knocked Silva down near the end of the first round and mounted him as the bell rang. In round two Silva caught Jackson with a counter right hand and followed up with knees from the thai clinch knocking Jackson out, successfully defending the Pride middleweight championship with the win. In Japan, Silva additionally gained his reputation as a fighter who has never been defeated by any Japanese opponent, resulting in a trend of various Japanese fighters being arranged by Pride to face him.
Silva's undefeated 5-year streak (18 wins, 13 knockouts) in Pride was broken by heavy weight Mark Hunt
, a K-1
champion on December 31, 2004 at the Pride Shockwave 2004
event. Hunt won the non-title match by split decision. The decision was controversial because some who felt that Hunt's weight of 280 lb (125 kg), over 80 lb more than Silva, as well as Silva's performance in rounds two and three, had not been sufficiently considered by the judges in their decision; Randy Couture
and Bas Rutten
, both being commentators at the event, expressed disagreement with the judges decision. Silva also took this fight on two days notice. Nonetheless, Silva's 2004 campaign earned him Fighter of the Year honors from both Sherdog
and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Silva's former status as Pride's middleweight champion first came under debate and criticism with his loss to Ricardo Arona
(who subsequently lost the tournament to Silva's team-mate, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua) on August 28, 2005 at Pride Final Conflict 2005
. The loss, by unanimous decision in the tournament's semi-finals, was Silva's first defeat in a middleweight match in Pride; however, since it was not a title fight and held under special rules due to the grand prix format (2 rounds instead of 3), Silva was still recognized as the middleweight champion. A rematch between Arona and Silva took place at the Pride Shockwave 2005
event on December 31, 2005, with Silva winning by split decision.
On May 18, 2006, Pride's parent company, Dream Stage Entertainment
(DSE), announced that Silva would replace Pride heavyweight
champion Fedor Emelianenko
in the Open Weight Grand Prix. Emelianenko's doctors stated that his hand, which had recently undergone surgery, would not be in good enough shape to fight because the metal implant would still be present. Because Silva was also a champion, he received a first round bye and fought in the second round at Pride Critical Countdown Absolute
, which took place on July 1, 2006. Silva moved to the semi-finals of the Open Weight Grand Prix after defeating Kazuyuki Fujita
by TKO (punches and soccer kicks) at 9:21 of round one.
On July 8, 2006, at UFC 61: Bitter Rivals
, UFC president Dana White
announced Silva would face Chuck Liddell
in a UFC event held in November, provided Liddell beat Renato "Babalu" Sobral
at UFC 62
. Liddell did end up winning that fight. However, talks dwindled and the fight as advertised did not happen.
On September 10, 2006, at Pride Final Conflict Absolute
, Wanderlei Silva was knocked out by Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in their rematch during the Open Weight Grand Prix semi-finals. After a brief stoppage to tend to a swollen eye on Silva, "Cro Cop" struck Silva in the head with a left kick, knocking him out. On October 21, 2006 at Pride 32: The Real Deal
, Wanderlei issued his challenge to Chuck Liddell to a fight inside a Pride ring in February, when the promotion returned to Las Vegas, Nevada
, however Dana White stated that the fight would not be happening, citing Silva's recent KO loss to Mirko Filipovic which would have not allowed the NSAC to clear him medically for the fight that soon after being knocked out.
Silva put his Pride middleweight title on the line against Dan Henderson
, Pride's welterweight (183 lb) champion at Pride 33: The Second Coming
, held on February 24, 2007, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a night of upsets, Henderson knocked out Silva in the third round with a left hook to become the new middleweight champion. This fight was held under unified rules which prevent knees and kicks to the head of a downed opponent as well as having five 5 minute rounds. Many believe this hindered Silva's ability to fully utilize his offensive arsenal. Silva was denied the ability to participate in Pride 34
due to medical suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) which made this his last Pride appearance. Silva never lost under pure Pride rules at 205 pounds.
. After months of speculation about Silva's opponent, UFC President Dana White announced that Chuck Liddell would be Silva's opponent for his return match. The long-awaited match happened on December 29, with Wanderlei Silva losing to Chuck Liddell by unanimous decision. After the fight Silva said, "Win or lose I like to give the emotion for my fans" He also added that he gave his best and promised that next time he will deliver a win.
Keeping to his promise, on May 24, 2008 at UFC 84 in Las Vegas, he earned a decisive knockout win against Keith Jardine
at the 36-second mark of the very first round by referee stoppage, earning him Knockout of the Night honors. When Jardine threw a kick, Silva countered with a right-left-right combo that dropped him. Silva then finished the fight with ground strikes to earn the brutal knockout.
At UFC 92
, Wanderlei fought Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who he beat twice previously. Jackson avenged his previous defeats by knocking Silva out with a left hook in the first round. Following the fight, Silva stated that he would like to fight Jackson again, for the 4th, and possibly in the future, even the 5th time, knowing he already has two knockouts of Jackson. The two fighters also buried the hatchet after this fight.
Wanderlei met Rich Franklin
at UFC 99
in Germany
at a catchweight bout of 195 lb. After a hard fought match on both sides, Silva lost via unanimous decision to Franklin. During the second round, Silva rocked Franklin hard with punches and almost finished the match during that moment. This was counterbalanced by Franklin dropping Silva three times in that round, each time with singular strikes. Silva then announced he would be out of action until 2010, as he underwent facial surgery to repair his nose (which was broken during Silva's second fight with Cro Cop, and then repeatedly broken again in later matches) and remove some scar tissue from above his eyes to avoid bleeding and being easily cut open during future fights. The surgery allowed him to breathe through a once completely blocked nose thus increasing his oxygen intake by 30% by doctor's estimates. At UFC 110, announcer Joe Rogan emphatically stated that Wanderlei looked like a totally different person in the wake of his recent facial reconstructive surgery.
Silva made his middleweight (185 lb) debut during UFC 110
against British
striker Michael Bisping
on February 21, 2010. During the fight Bisping was able to take Silva down several times during the first round, however Wanderlei came back with a flurry of punches at the end of the first round, a tight guillotine choke in the second, and a right hook that dropped Bisping in the third. After three rounds of fighting, Silva was awarded the unanimous decision victory (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)and his first victory in almost two years. Although winning only one of his previous 6 bouts, he was slightly favored going into the fight as it was widely speculated that Bisping was apprehensive to fight toe-to-toe after being viciously knocked out by Dan Henderson on July 11, 2009 in UFC 100. After the fight Silva said, “In your life you have bad moments. Everybody has bad moments, but if you believe in God and working hard, good moments they’ll come,” an emotional Silva told the audience. Silva attributed his success to working with his previous trainer Raphael Cordeiro. Bisping added, “Wanderlei’s a great opponent...I felt the reason he got the decision was the knockdown right at the end.”
Wanderlei Silva was expected to face former K-1 HERO'S Light Heavyweight Champion Yoshihiro Akiyama
at UFC 116
. Unfortunately, on June 22, Wanderlei had to pull out due to breaking three ribs during training. Akiyama would instead be fighting on the card, against Chris Leben
. After Leben defeated Akiyama with a triangle choke in the third round Leben verbally called out Silva saying "Come on Wanderlei, I'll take you out too" in his post fight interview. "He represented very well, he's a good opponent," said Silva of "The Crippler." "I think if he's gonna wait that I'm gonna fight him next however Dana White has not considered a Silva/Leben fight happening anytime soon."
Silva underwent knee surgery in late July 2010 and his doctors have stated that he will need to wait at least 4 months before returning to training. This means that he will not be seen fighting in the octagon again until early 2011.
Silva was scheduled to face Brian Stann
at UFC 130
. However, after Silva voiced his reluctance to face Stann, he was replaced on the card by returning UFC veteran Jorge Santiago
. On April 4, 2011, the UFC announced that Silva's next opponent would be Chris Leben
with the two scheduled to meet at UFC 132
. on July 2, 2011. During the fight's first round Leben won by KO with several uppercuts before following Silva to the ground for a referees stoppage at the 27 second mark. When Dana White was asked about his thoughts on Wanderlei's possible retirement, he said he felt it would be the best time for Wanderlei to retire but in the end it is up to whether Wanderlei himself would like to fight again.
Silva faced Cung Le
on November 19, 2011 at UFC 139
. Silva defeated Le via second round TKO after a flurry of knees and punches, earning his third Fight of the Night award in the UFC.
Mixed Martial Arts
| Win
|align=center| 34–11–1 (1)
| Cung Le
| TKO (knees and punches)
| UFC 139
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 4:49
| San Jose, California
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 33–11–1 (1)
| Chris Leben
| KO (punches)
| UFC 132
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:27
| Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 33–10–1 (1)
| Michael Bisping
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 110
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Sydney
, Australia
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 32–10–1 (1)
| Rich Franklin
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 99
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Cologne
, Germany
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 32–9–1 (1)
| Quinton Jackson
| KO (punch)
| UFC 92
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:21
| Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 32–8–1 (1)
| Keith Jardine
| KO (punches)
| UFC 84
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:36
| Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 31–8–1 (1)
| Chuck Liddell
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 79
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 31–7–1 (1)
| Dan Henderson
| KO (punch)
| Pride 33
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:08
| Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 31–6–1 (1)
| Mirko Filipović
| KO (head kick)
| Pride Final Conflict Absolute
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:26
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 31–5–1 (1)
| Kazuyuki Fujita
| TKO (punches and soccer kicks)
| Pride Critical Countdown Absolute
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 9:21
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 30–5–1 (1)
| Ricardo Arona
| Decision (split)
| Pride Shockwave 2005
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 29–5–1 (1)
| Ricardo Arona
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride Final Conflict 2005
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 29–4–1 (1)
| Kazuhiro Nakamura
| TKO (punches)
| Pride Critical Countdown 2005
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:24
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 28–4–1 (1)
| Hidehiko Yoshida
| Decision (split)
| Pride Total Elimination 2005
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Osaka
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 27–4–1 (1)
| Mark Hunt
| Decision (split)
| Pride Shockwave 2004
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 27–3–1 (1)
| Quinton Jackson
| KO (knees)
| Pride 28
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:26
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 26–3–1 (1)
| Yuki Kondo
| KO (stomps)
| Pride Final Conflict 2004
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:46
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 25–3–1 (1)
| Ikuhisa Minowa
| KO (punches)
| Pride Bushido 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:09
| Yokohama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 24–3–1 (1)
| Quinton Jackson
| TKO (knees)
| Pride Final Conflict 2003
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6:28
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 23–3–1 (1)
| Hidehiko Yoshida
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride Final Conflict 2003
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 22–3–1 (1)
| Kazushi Sakuraba
| KO (punch)
| Pride Total Elimination 2003
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:01
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 21–3–1 (1)
| Hiromitsu Kanehara
| TKO (corner stoppage)
| Pride 23
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:40
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 20–3–1 (1)
| Tatsuya Iwasaki
| TKO (head kick and punches)
| Pride Shockwave
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:16
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center| 19–3–1 (1)
| Mirko Filipović
| Draw
| Pride 20
|
|align=center| 5
|align=center| 3:00
| Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 19–3 (1)
| Kiyoshi Tamura
| KO (punch)
| Pride 19
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:28
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 18–3 (1)
| Alexander Otsuka
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| Pride 18
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:02
| Fukuoka, Fukuoka
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 17–3 (1)
| Kazushi Sakuraba
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| Pride 17
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 10:00
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 16–3 (1)
| Shungo Oyama
| TKO (punches)
| Pride 14
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:30
| Yokohama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 15–3 (1)
| Kazushi Sakuraba
| TKO (knees and soccer kick)
| Pride 13
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:38
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 14–3 (1)
| Dan Henderson
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 12
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 10:00
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
| NC
|align=center| 13–3 (1)
| Gilbert Yvel
| No Contest (groin strike)
| Pride 11
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:21
| Osaka, Osaka, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 13–3
| Guy Mezger
| KO (punch)
| Pride 10
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:45
| Saitama, Saitama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 12–3
| Todd Medina
| KO (knees)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:39
| Curitiba
, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 11–3
| Tito Ortiz
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 25
|
|align=center| 5
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 11–2
| Bob Schrijber
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:42
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 10–2
| Daijiro Matsui
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 8
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 10:00
| Tokyo
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 9–2
| Carl Malenko
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 7
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 10:00
| Yokohama
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 8–2
| Tony Petarra
| KO (knees)
| UFC 20
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:53
| Birmingham, Alabama
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 7–2
| Eugene Jackson
| Submission (punches)
| IVC 10: World Class Champions
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:32
| Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 6–2
| Adrian Serrano
| KO (punches and soccer kick)
| IVC 9: The Revenge
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:22
| Aracaju
, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 5–2
| Vitor Belfort
| TKO (punches)
| UFC Brazil
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:44
| São Paulo
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 5–1
| Mike Van Arsdale
| KO (punch and soccer kick)
| IVC 6: The Challenge
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:00
| São Paulo
, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 4–1
| Artur Mariano
| TKO (cut)
| IVC 2: A Question of Pride
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 13:10
| São Paulo
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Egidio da Costa
| Submission (punches)
| IVC 2: A Question of Pride
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:27
| São Paulo
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Sean Bormet
| KO (head kick)
| IVC 2: A Question of Pride
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:19
| São Paulo
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Marcelao Barbosa
| TKO (shoulder injury)
| Brazilian Vale Tudo 10
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:20
| Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Dilson Filho
| KO (elbow)
| Brazilian Vale Tudo 6
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:35
| Brazil
|
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian mixed martial artist, who has competed in Japan's
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Pride Fighting Championships and the American based Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
(UFC). Silva is known for his aggressive fighting style with the majority of his fights ending in knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
or referee stoppage due to strikes. His style includes engaging opponents with punches and knees from the Muay Thai clinch. He holds the record for the most wins and knockouts in Pride FC history. He is currently ranked as #21 best middleweight fighter in the world by FightMatrix.com.
Silva began his training under Rudimar Fedrigo at the Chute Boxe Academy
Chute Boxe Academy
The Chute Boxe Academy opened as a Muay Thai academy in 1978 in Curitiba, Brazil. Head trainer Rudimar Fedrigo later expanded the program in 1991 to include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and other aspects of modern mixed martial arts. By 1995, the Chute Boxe team was considered a prime training ground for...
in his hometown of Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
, Brazil. Although he specializes in muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
, he has also trained and received his black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
from trainer Cristiano Marcello
Cristiano Marcello
Cristiano Marcello is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and the Chute Boxe BJJ head coach, his most notable win is over The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir alumni Dave Kaplan. Cristiano has fought for PRIDE Fighting Championship...
. Silva was given the nickname "Cachorro Louco" ("Mad Dog") in Brazil because of his aggressive style and his pre-fight opponent "stare down". He is the former IVC
International Vale Tudo Championship
The International Vale Tudo Championship was a series of no holds barred-style MMA fighting promotion based in Brazil starting in 1997. It was inspired by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and gained an international reputation for its hardcore nature. Head butts and groin strikes were not...
light heavyweight champion, former Pride middleweight (205 lb) champion, and the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix champion.
After spending a majority of his career in Brazil, Silva moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2007 and he trained at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. Preferring a more aggressive gym atmosphere, like he had at Chute Boxe, he opened his own gym, The Wand Fight Team Training & Conditioning Center, in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. Silva currently trains there with his former Chute Boxe coach Rafael Cordeiro
Rafael Cordeiro
Rafael Cordeiro is a Brazilian former Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist, now a trainer at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, California, United States....
.
Early career
Silva's aggressive style is rooted in street brawling, refined with elements of Muay Thai and kickboxingKickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
. As a late teen he joined the military and was quickly recognized for his fighting talents and rose up in the ranks. Silva enlisted after already winning fight tournaments in his age group in Brazil.
Silva's first professional match was on November 1, 1996, in the Brazilian Vale Tudo
Vale tudo
Vale tudo are full-contact unarmed combat events, with a limited number of rules, that became popular in Brazil during the 20th century. Vale tudo has been considered a combat sport by some observers...
Fighting organization (BVF), where he knocked out Dilson Filho via strikes at BVF 6. He fought in one other match in BVF, BVF 10 on July 1, 1997, against Marcelo Barbosa, who submitted due to a shoulder injury.
Silva fought six matches in four different IVC events, IVC 2, IVC 6, IVC 9 and IVC 10, from 1997 to 1999. He won five of these matches by KO/TKO, with his one loss being the result of a cut stoppage against Artur Mariano in the IVC 2 show on September 15, 1997. The cut was above his left eyelid and opened back up several times, partially because Silva continued to use the cut side of his head to inflict many headbutts on Mariano over the course of the match. The doctor observed the cut several times before the fight was ended.
Silva culminated his IVC career by winning the promotion's light heavyweight belt with a submission win over Eugene Jackson in the IVC 10 show on April 27, 1999. It was after this fight that Silva earned the nickname "The Axe Murderer".
Silva participated in one Meca World Vale Tudo event, Meca 2 on August 12, 2000, where he knocked out Todd Medina with muay thai knees.
UFC
Silva entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 16, 1998, at UFC Brazil: Ultimate BrazilUFC Brazil
UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in São Paulo, Brazil on October 16th, 1998...
, in a match against Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort
Vítor Vieira Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Belfort was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family, namely Carlson Gracie. He received a black belt under Carlson and currently trains with Xtreme Couture, fighting in...
. The match has arguably been Silva's worst defeat in his career, lasting only 44 seconds and ending with Silva being knocked down by Belfort's punches then being stopped by the referee. Silva won his next UFC match on May 7, 1999, at UFC 20
UFC 20
UFC 20: Battle for the Gold was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 7, 1999 at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama...
where he knocked out Tony Petarra with knees. On April 14, 2000, Silva was given a chance to fight for the UFC light heavyweight
Light Heavyweight (MMA)
The light heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally refers to competitors weighing between 186 and 205 lb . It sits between the lighter middleweight division, and the heavyweight division....
championship, but lost via decision to Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
at UFC 25
UFC 25
UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 14, 2000 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.-History:The event was the third UFC event to be held in Japan...
.
Pride Fighting Championships
Silva debuted in Pride at the Pride 7PRIDE 7
Pride 7 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place on September 12, 1999, at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan...
event on September 12, 1999, winning against Carl Malenko by decision. From 1999 to 2004, Silva won eighteen-straight fights in Pride, excluding a draw against Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
(under slightly modified rules in which if the match would go the distance, the bout would be declared a draw) and a no contest against Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Ramon Yvel is a Dutch heavyweight mixed martial artist associated with the Vos Gym training camp in the Netherlands. He has competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, Affliction Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship promotions...
(Silva accidentally kicked Yvel in the groin), giving him a twenty-fight unbeaten streak. Silva's reputation as a formidable MMA fighter grew as he developed a successful 5 year win record in the middle weight division (205 lb) of Pride.
Silva fought Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
superstar Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba
is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and Dream...
for the first time at Pride 13: Collision Course
PRIDE 13
Pride 13: Collision Course was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This was the first Pride event allowing knee strikes to the head of someone in the "four-points" position . It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on March 25, 2001...
on March 25, 2001. Silva won via TKO (knees and soccer kick) at 1:38 into the first round. At Pride 17: Championship Chaos
PRIDE 17
Pride 17: Championship Chaos was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 3, 2001. This event also saw the crowning of the first Pride FC Heavyweight and Middleweight champions.-Results: Renzo Gracie vs. ...
on November 3, 2001, Silva won the inaugural Pride middleweight (205 lb) championship when he defeated Sakuraba for the second time. Sakuraba suffered a broken clavicle
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
and was forced to withdraw after the first round, giving Silva a TKO win via doctor's stoppage. The two fought for a third time on August 10, 2003 at Pride Total Elimination 2003
PRIDE Total Elimination 2003
PRIDE Total Elimination 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by PRIDE Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on August 10, 2003. This event was host to the quarterfinals of the 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix tournament...
, part of Pride's middleweight tournament. Silva knocked out Sakuraba with a two punch combination at 5:01 into the first round.
Silva faced Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at Pride Final Conflict 2003
PRIDE Final Conflict 2003
Pride Final Conflict 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 9, 2003 and had over 67,450 people in the audience. This event was host to the semi-finals and finals of the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand...
on November 9, 2003. Silva won by TKO after delivering seventeen consecutive knees to Jackson. Silva became Pride's 2003 tournament champion with the win. The two fought again on October 31, 2004 at Pride 28: High Octane
PRIDE 28
Pride 28: High Octane was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on October 31, 2004.- Heath Herring vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
. Jackson knocked Silva down near the end of the first round and mounted him as the bell rang. In round two Silva caught Jackson with a counter right hand and followed up with knees from the thai clinch knocking Jackson out, successfully defending the Pride middleweight championship with the win. In Japan, Silva additionally gained his reputation as a fighter who has never been defeated by any Japanese opponent, resulting in a trend of various Japanese fighters being arranged by Pride to face him.
Silva's undefeated 5-year streak (18 wins, 13 knockouts) in Pride was broken by heavy weight Mark Hunt
Mark Hunt
Mark Hunt ; is a New Zealand kickboxer and mixed martial artist of Samoan descent, currently living in Sydney, Australia. Hunt competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is known for his raw strength, iron chin and knockout power. He won the K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Final...
, a K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
champion on December 31, 2004 at the Pride Shockwave 2004
PRIDE Shockwave 2004
Pride Shockwave 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. The event took place at the Saitama Super Arena on December 31st, 2004...
event. Hunt won the non-title match by split decision. The decision was controversial because some who felt that Hunt's weight of 280 lb (125 kg), over 80 lb more than Silva, as well as Silva's performance in rounds two and three, had not been sufficiently considered by the judges in their decision; Randy Couture
Randy Couture
Randy Duane Couture is a retired American mixed martial artist, Greco-Roman wrestler, actor, a three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion, former interim light heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
and Bas Rutten
Bas Rutten
Sebastiaan "Bas" Rutten is a retired Dutch mixed martial artist, Karate and Taekwondo blackbelt, and kickboxer. He was a UFC Heavyweight Champion, a three time King of Pancrase world champion, and finished his career on a 22 fight unbeaten streak...
, both being commentators at the event, expressed disagreement with the judges decision. Silva also took this fight on two days notice. Nonetheless, Silva's 2004 campaign earned him Fighter of the Year honors from both Sherdog
Sherdog
Sherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts . The site is a member of the Crave Online network and provides MMA related content for ESPN.com.- History :...
and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Silva's former status as Pride's middleweight champion first came under debate and criticism with his loss to Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
(who subsequently lost the tournament to Silva's team-mate, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua) on August 28, 2005 at Pride Final Conflict 2005
PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
Pride Final Conflict 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This event featured the much anticipated heavyweight title fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop and also the final round of the 2005 Middleweight Tournament...
. The loss, by unanimous decision in the tournament's semi-finals, was Silva's first defeat in a middleweight match in Pride; however, since it was not a title fight and held under special rules due to the grand prix format (2 rounds instead of 3), Silva was still recognized as the middleweight champion. A rematch between Arona and Silva took place at the Pride Shockwave 2005
PRIDE Shockwave 2005
Pride Shockwave 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2005. In Japan, the event was called "Otoko Matsuri 2005 – Itadaki"...
event on December 31, 2005, with Silva winning by split decision.
On May 18, 2006, Pride's parent company, Dream Stage Entertainment
Dream Stage Entertainment
Dream Stage Entertainment was a Japanese company that promoted various wrestling and mixed martial arts events, most notably mixed martial arts Pride Fighting Championship and Hustle professional wrestling events....
(DSE), announced that Silva would replace Pride heavyweight
Heavyweight (MMA)
The heavyweight division in mixed martial arts generally groups fighters between .Although many ambiguities exist within the lower weight classes regarding division naming and weight limits, the Heavyweight division is, for the most part, uniform...
champion Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko) is a Russian heavyweight mixed martial artist. He has won numerous tournaments and accolades in multiple sports, most notably the Pride 2004 Grand Prix and the World Combat Sambo championship on four occasions, as well as medaling in the Russian national Judo...
in the Open Weight Grand Prix. Emelianenko's doctors stated that his hand, which had recently undergone surgery, would not be in good enough shape to fight because the metal implant would still be present. Because Silva was also a champion, he received a first round bye and fought in the second round at Pride Critical Countdown Absolute
PRIDE Critical Countdown Absolute
Pride Critical Countdown Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on July 1, 2006.-Background:...
, which took place on July 1, 2006. Silva moved to the semi-finals of the Open Weight Grand Prix after defeating Kazuyuki Fujita
Kazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....
by TKO (punches and soccer kicks) at 9:21 of round one.
On July 8, 2006, at UFC 61: Bitter Rivals
UFC 61
UFC 61: Bitter Rivals was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday, July 8, 2006. The event took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, in Las Vegas, Nevada and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States.-Background:The main event was a...
, UFC president Dana White
Dana White
Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.- Biography :...
announced Silva would face Chuck Liddell
Chuck Liddell
Charles David "Chuck" Liddell is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive striking background in Kempo, Koei-Kan karate and kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling.As of his...
in a UFC event held in November, provided Liddell beat Renato "Babalu" Sobral
Renato Sobral
Renato da Cunha Sobral , also known as "Babalu", is a Brazilian mixed martial artist, and former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. He is regarded as one of the best light heavyweights of the night, and noted for his aggressive style, grappling prowess, and high-caliber submissions. Sobral...
at UFC 62
UFC 62
UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 26, 2006. The event took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada.The main event was a Light...
. Liddell did end up winning that fight. However, talks dwindled and the fight as advertised did not happen.
On September 10, 2006, at Pride Final Conflict Absolute
PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute
Pride Final Conflict Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on September 10, 2006.-Background:...
, Wanderlei Silva was knocked out by Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic in their rematch during the Open Weight Grand Prix semi-finals. After a brief stoppage to tend to a swollen eye on Silva, "Cro Cop" struck Silva in the head with a left kick, knocking him out. On October 21, 2006 at Pride 32: The Real Deal
PRIDE 32
Pride 32: The Real Deal was a mixed martial arts event and was held by the Pride Fighting Championships. The event took place on October 21, 2006, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
, Wanderlei issued his challenge to Chuck Liddell to a fight inside a Pride ring in February, when the promotion returned to Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, however Dana White stated that the fight would not be happening, citing Silva's recent KO loss to Mirko Filipovic which would have not allowed the NSAC to clear him medically for the fight that soon after being knocked out.
Silva put his Pride middleweight title on the line against Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson
Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...
, Pride's welterweight (183 lb) champion at Pride 33: The Second Coming
PRIDE 33
Pride 33: The Second Coming was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on February 24, 2007 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
, held on February 24, 2007, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In a night of upsets, Henderson knocked out Silva in the third round with a left hook to become the new middleweight champion. This fight was held under unified rules which prevent knees and kicks to the head of a downed opponent as well as having five 5 minute rounds. Many believe this hindered Silva's ability to fully utilize his offensive arsenal. Silva was denied the ability to participate in Pride 34
PRIDE 34
Pride 34: Kamikaze was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on April 8, 2007 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.-Background:...
due to medical suspension by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) which made this his last Pride appearance. Silva never lost under pure Pride rules at 205 pounds.
Return to the UFC
On August 17, 2007, the UFC announced that they had signed Wanderlei Silva to compete in the organization and that he would return to the Octagon on December 29, 2007 at UFC 79UFC 79
UFC 79: Nemesis was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , that took place on December 29, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
. After months of speculation about Silva's opponent, UFC President Dana White announced that Chuck Liddell would be Silva's opponent for his return match. The long-awaited match happened on December 29, with Wanderlei Silva losing to Chuck Liddell by unanimous decision. After the fight Silva said, "Win or lose I like to give the emotion for my fans" He also added that he gave his best and promised that next time he will deliver a win.
Keeping to his promise, on May 24, 2008 at UFC 84 in Las Vegas, he earned a decisive knockout win against Keith Jardine
Keith Jardine
Keith Hector Jardine is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division and is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
at the 36-second mark of the very first round by referee stoppage, earning him Knockout of the Night honors. When Jardine threw a kick, Silva countered with a right-left-right combo that dropped him. Silva then finished the fight with ground strikes to earn the brutal knockout.
At UFC 92
UFC 92
UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 was a mixed martial arts event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on December 27, 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
, Wanderlei fought Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who he beat twice previously. Jackson avenged his previous defeats by knocking Silva out with a left hook in the first round. Following the fight, Silva stated that he would like to fight Jackson again, for the 4th, and possibly in the future, even the 5th time, knowing he already has two knockouts of Jackson. The two fighters also buried the hatchet after this fight.
Wanderlei met Rich Franklin
Rich Franklin
Rich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
at UFC 99
UFC 99
UFC 99: The Comeback was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 13, 2009 in Cologne, Germany. It was the first UFC event held in Germany, as well as the first in mainland Europe .-Background:On Monday, June 1, the...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at a catchweight bout of 195 lb. After a hard fought match on both sides, Silva lost via unanimous decision to Franklin. During the second round, Silva rocked Franklin hard with punches and almost finished the match during that moment. This was counterbalanced by Franklin dropping Silva three times in that round, each time with singular strikes. Silva then announced he would be out of action until 2010, as he underwent facial surgery to repair his nose (which was broken during Silva's second fight with Cro Cop, and then repeatedly broken again in later matches) and remove some scar tissue from above his eyes to avoid bleeding and being easily cut open during future fights. The surgery allowed him to breathe through a once completely blocked nose thus increasing his oxygen intake by 30% by doctor's estimates. At UFC 110, announcer Joe Rogan emphatically stated that Wanderlei looked like a totally different person in the wake of his recent facial reconstructive surgery.
Silva made his middleweight (185 lb) debut during UFC 110
UFC 110
UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, 21 February 2010 in Sydney, Australia, at the Acer Arena. The event marked the UFC's first trip to Australia. The main card was scheduled for 2:00 pm Sunday in Sydney to cater...
against British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
striker Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping is an English mixed martial artist born in Cyprus but living in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He currently fights as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, former Cage Rage light...
on February 21, 2010. During the fight Bisping was able to take Silva down several times during the first round, however Wanderlei came back with a flurry of punches at the end of the first round, a tight guillotine choke in the second, and a right hook that dropped Bisping in the third. After three rounds of fighting, Silva was awarded the unanimous decision victory (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)and his first victory in almost two years. Although winning only one of his previous 6 bouts, he was slightly favored going into the fight as it was widely speculated that Bisping was apprehensive to fight toe-to-toe after being viciously knocked out by Dan Henderson on July 11, 2009 in UFC 100. After the fight Silva said, “In your life you have bad moments. Everybody has bad moments, but if you believe in God and working hard, good moments they’ll come,” an emotional Silva told the audience. Silva attributed his success to working with his previous trainer Raphael Cordeiro. Bisping added, “Wanderlei’s a great opponent...I felt the reason he got the decision was the knockdown right at the end.”
Wanderlei Silva was expected to face former K-1 HERO'S Light Heavyweight Champion Yoshihiro Akiyama
Yoshihiro Akiyama
, born Choo Sung-hoon , is a Japanese mixed martial artist and judoka. He is a fourth-generation Japanese of Korean descent and acquired Japanese nationality in 2001....
at UFC 116
UFC 116
UFC 116: Lesnar vs. Carwin was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 3, 2010 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States...
. Unfortunately, on June 22, Wanderlei had to pull out due to breaking three ribs during training. Akiyama would instead be fighting on the card, against Chris Leben
Chris Leben
Christian Cyrus Leben is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he fights as a middleweight....
. After Leben defeated Akiyama with a triangle choke in the third round Leben verbally called out Silva saying "Come on Wanderlei, I'll take you out too" in his post fight interview. "He represented very well, he's a good opponent," said Silva of "The Crippler." "I think if he's gonna wait that I'm gonna fight him next however Dana White has not considered a Silva/Leben fight happening anytime soon."
Silva underwent knee surgery in late July 2010 and his doctors have stated that he will need to wait at least 4 months before returning to training. This means that he will not be seen fighting in the octagon again until early 2011.
Silva was scheduled to face Brian Stann
Brian Stann
Brian Michael Stann is an American mixed martial artist and former US Marine who competes as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is a former WEC Light Heavyweight champion...
at UFC 130
UFC 130
UFC 130: Rampage vs. Hamill was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 28, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...
. However, after Silva voiced his reluctance to face Stann, he was replaced on the card by returning UFC veteran Jorge Santiago
Jorge Santiago
|-| Loss|align=center| 23-10| Demian Maia| Decision | UFC 136| |align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00| Houston, Texas, United States||-| Loss|align=center| 23–9| Brian Stann| TKO | UFC 130| |align=center| 2|align=center| 4:29...
. On April 4, 2011, the UFC announced that Silva's next opponent would be Chris Leben
Chris Leben
Christian Cyrus Leben is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he fights as a middleweight....
with the two scheduled to meet at UFC 132
UFC 132
UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:UFC 132 was originally set to feature a rematch between B.J...
. on July 2, 2011. During the fight's first round Leben won by KO with several uppercuts before following Silva to the ground for a referees stoppage at the 27 second mark. When Dana White was asked about his thoughts on Wanderlei's possible retirement, he said he felt it would be the best time for Wanderlei to retire but in the end it is up to whether Wanderlei himself would like to fight again.
Silva faced Cung Le
Cung Le
Cung Le is a Vietnamese-American Sanshou kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and actor from Saigon, Vietnam currently competing in the UFC. He is the former IKF Light Heavyweight San Shou World Champion and has a professional San Shou record of 16-0 before moving to mixed martial arts...
on November 19, 2011 at UFC 139
UFC 139
UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 19, 2011 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, USA...
. Silva defeated Le via second round TKO after a flurry of knees and punches, earning his third Fight of the Night award in the UFC.
Personal life
Wanderlei and his wife Tea have a son named Thor. He also has a daughter named Rafaela from a previous relationship.Mixed Martial ArtsMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
- International Vale Tudo ChampionshipInternational Vale Tudo ChampionshipThe International Vale Tudo Championship was a series of no holds barred-style MMA fighting promotion based in Brazil starting in 1997. It was inspired by the Ultimate Fighting Championship and gained an international reputation for its hardcore nature. Head butts and groin strikes were not...
- IVC Light Heavyweight Champion
- PRIDE Fighting Championships
- PRIDE Middleweight Championship 2001-2007 (One time, First)
- 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament WinnerPRIDE Final Conflict 2003Pride Final Conflict 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 9, 2003 and had over 67,450 people in the audience. This event was host to the semi-finals and finals of the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand...
- 2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Semi-FinalistPRIDE Final Conflict 2005Pride Final Conflict 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This event featured the much anticipated heavyweight title fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop and also the final round of the 2005 Middleweight Tournament...
- 2006 PRIDE Openweight Grand Prix Semi-FinalistPRIDE Final Conflict AbsolutePride Final Conflict Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on September 10, 2006.-Background:...
- Most Wins & Knockouts in PRIDE FC and UFC History (22 Wins 15 Knockouts)
- SherdogSherdogSherdog is an American website devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts . The site is a member of the Crave Online network and provides MMA related content for ESPN.com.- History :...
- 2004 Fighter of the Year http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Sherdogcom-Names-Wanderlei-Silva-2004-Fighter-of-the-Year-2259
- Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUltimate Fighting ChampionshipThe Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
- Fight of the NightBonus Awards-Background:UFC Bonus Awards are three different kinds of awards usually given to four fighters after a UFC event.Fight of the Night - Award given to the two fighters that fought each other and delivered the "most impressive" fight on the card....
(Three timesBonus Awards-Background:UFC Bonus Awards are three different kinds of awards usually given to four fighters after a UFC event.Fight of the Night - Award given to the two fighters that fought each other and delivered the "most impressive" fight on the card....
) - Knockout of the NightBonus Awards-Background:UFC Bonus Awards are three different kinds of awards usually given to four fighters after a UFC event.Fight of the Night - Award given to the two fighters that fought each other and delivered the "most impressive" fight on the card....
(One timeBonus Awards-Background:UFC Bonus Awards are three different kinds of awards usually given to four fighters after a UFC event.Fight of the Night - Award given to the two fighters that fought each other and delivered the "most impressive" fight on the card....
) - Most Wins & Knockouts in PRIDE FC and UFC History (22 Wins 15 Knockouts)
- Fighters Only World MMA Awards
- Fight of the Year (2007) - vs Chuck Liddell on December 29, 2007 http://www.themmanews.com/?p=2355
- Knockout of the Year (2008) - vs Keith Jardine on May 24 http://www.themmanews.com/?p=2351
- Gym of the Year (2010) - awarded to Wand Fight Team http://www.themmanews.com/?p=23843
- Inside Fights
- 2008 Fight of the Year vs Chuck Liddell on December 29, 2007 http://insidefights.com/2009/01/04/2008-inside-fights-mma-awards/
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- 2001 Feud of the Year (vs Kazushi Sakuraba)
- 2001 Shootfighter of the Year
- 2003 Shootmatch of the Year (vs Hidehiko Yoshida)
- 2004 Shootfighter of the Year
- 2004 Shootmatch of the Year (vs Quinton Jackson)
Mixed martial arts record
|-| Win
|align=center| 34–11–1 (1)
| Cung Le
Cung Le
Cung Le is a Vietnamese-American Sanshou kickboxer, mixed martial artist, and actor from Saigon, Vietnam currently competing in the UFC. He is the former IKF Light Heavyweight San Shou World Champion and has a professional San Shou record of 16-0 before moving to mixed martial arts...
| TKO (knees and punches)
| UFC 139
UFC 139
UFC 139: Shogun vs. Henderson was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on November 19, 2011 at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, USA...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 4:49
| San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, United States
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 33–11–1 (1)
| Chris Leben
Chris Leben
Christian Cyrus Leben is an American mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship where he fights as a middleweight....
| KO (punches)
| UFC 132
UFC 132
UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:UFC 132 was originally set to feature a rematch between B.J...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:27
| Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 33–10–1 (1)
| Michael Bisping
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping is an English mixed martial artist born in Cyprus but living in Clitheroe, Lancashire. He currently fights as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is the former Cage Warriors Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion, former Cage Rage light...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 110
UFC 110
UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday, 21 February 2010 in Sydney, Australia, at the Acer Arena. The event marked the UFC's first trip to Australia. The main card was scheduled for 2:00 pm Sunday in Sydney to cater...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
|
|-
| Loss
|align=center| 32–10–1 (1)
| Rich Franklin
Rich Franklin
Rich Jay Franklin II is an American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion.-Background:...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 99
UFC 99
UFC 99: The Comeback was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 13, 2009 in Cologne, Germany. It was the first UFC event held in Germany, as well as the first in mainland Europe .-Background:On Monday, June 1, the...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 32–9–1 (1)
| Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
| KO (punch)
| UFC 92
UFC 92
UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 was a mixed martial arts event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship held on December 27, 2008 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:21
| Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
| Win
|align=center| 32–8–1 (1)
| Keith Jardine
Keith Jardine
Keith Hector Jardine is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division and is best known for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
| KO (punches)
| UFC 84
UFC 84
UFC 84: Ill Will was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 24, 2008, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Overview:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:36
| Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 31–8–1 (1)
| Chuck Liddell
Chuck Liddell
Charles David "Chuck" Liddell is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive striking background in Kempo, Koei-Kan karate and kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling.As of his...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 79
UFC 79
UFC 79: Nemesis was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , that took place on December 29, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 31–7–1 (1)
| Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson
Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...
| KO (punch)
| Pride 33
PRIDE 33
Pride 33: The Second Coming was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships on February 24, 2007 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:08
| Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 31–6–1 (1)
| Mirko Filipović
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
| KO (head kick)
| Pride Final Conflict Absolute
PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute
Pride Final Conflict Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on September 10, 2006.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:26
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 31–5–1 (1)
| Kazuyuki Fujita
Kazuyuki Fujita
is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler. He has fought in mixed martial arts promotions including PRIDE, K-1 and currently fighting in Sengoku....
| TKO (punches and soccer kicks)
| Pride Critical Countdown Absolute
PRIDE Critical Countdown Absolute
Pride Critical Countdown Absolute was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on July 1, 2006.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 9:21
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 30–5–1 (1)
| Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
| Decision (split)
| Pride Shockwave 2005
PRIDE Shockwave 2005
Pride Shockwave 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 31, 2005. In Japan, the event was called "Otoko Matsuri 2005 – Itadaki"...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 29–5–1 (1)
| Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona
Ricardo Arona is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and PRIDE FC Middleweight Grand Prix finalist. He has competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships and RINGS in his mixed martial arts career, and is a member of Brazilian Top Team.-Abu Dhabi and RINGS:...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride Final Conflict 2005
PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
Pride Final Conflict 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This event featured the much anticipated heavyweight title fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop and also the final round of the 2005 Middleweight Tournament...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 29–4–1 (1)
| Kazuhiro Nakamura
Kazuhiro Nakamura
Kazuhiro Nakamura is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing as a middleweight in DREAM. His primary style is judo, in which he holds a 3rd dan black belt under Hidehiko Yoshida...
| TKO (punches)
| Pride Critical Countdown 2005
PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005
Pride Critical Countdown 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on June 26th, 2005.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:24
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 28–4–1 (1)
| Hidehiko Yoshida
Hidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
| Decision (split)
| Pride Total Elimination 2005
PRIDE Total Elimination 2005
Pride Total Elimination 2005 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event marked the first round of the Middleweight tournament...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 27–4–1 (1)
| Mark Hunt
Mark Hunt
Mark Hunt ; is a New Zealand kickboxer and mixed martial artist of Samoan descent, currently living in Sydney, Australia. Hunt competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and is known for his raw strength, iron chin and knockout power. He won the K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Final...
| Decision (split)
| Pride Shockwave 2004
PRIDE Shockwave 2004
Pride Shockwave 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. The event took place at the Saitama Super Arena on December 31st, 2004...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 27–3–1 (1)
| Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
| KO (knees)
| Pride 28
PRIDE 28
Pride 28: High Octane was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on October 31, 2004.- Heath Herring vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 3:26
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 26–3–1 (1)
| Yuki Kondo
Yuki Kondo
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He has a background in Shorinji Kempo and he is a 2nd dan. He was born in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Kondo is a Pancrase and Pride Fighting Championships veteran, as well as three-time veteran in the UFC. Kondo has fought over 60 times for the Pancrase...
| KO (stomps)
| Pride Final Conflict 2004
PRIDE Final Conflict 2004
Pride Final Conflict 2004 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. This event held the final round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:46
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 25–3–1 (1)
| Ikuhisa Minowa
Ikuhisa Minowa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and pro wrestler currently competing in Dream as . He was a long time veteran of Pride Fighting Championships and Pancrase and has also competed in other mixed martial arts promotions such as K-1 HERO'S, Cage Rage, UFC, and DEEP. At 5'9" he is notable for taking...
| KO (punches)
| Pride Bushido 2
PRIDE Bushido 2
Pride Bushido 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on February 15, 2004.- Mu Bae Choi vs. Yusuke Imamura:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:09
| Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 24–3–1 (1)
| Quinton Jackson
Quinton Jackson
Quinton Ramone Jackson ;, also known as Rampage Jackson, is an American mixed martial artist and actor. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson rose to prominence in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships where he was noted for his powerful body slams including a knockout victory over...
| TKO (knees)
| Pride Final Conflict 2003
PRIDE Final Conflict 2003
Pride Final Conflict 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 9, 2003 and had over 67,450 people in the audience. This event was host to the semi-finals and finals of the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 6:28
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 23–3–1 (1)
| Hidehiko Yoshida
Hidehiko Yoshida
is a Japanese gold-medalist judoka and retired mixed martial artist. He is a long time veteran of Japan's Pride Fighting Championships, competing in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, also managing to fight in the semi-finals in the Pride 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride Final Conflict 2003
PRIDE Final Conflict 2003
Pride Final Conflict 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 9, 2003 and had over 67,450 people in the audience. This event was host to the semi-finals and finals of the 2003 Pride Middleweight Grand...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 22–3–1 (1)
| Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba
is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and Dream...
| KO (punch)
| Pride Total Elimination 2003
PRIDE Total Elimination 2003
PRIDE Total Elimination 2003 was a mixed martial arts event held by PRIDE Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on August 10, 2003. This event was host to the quarterfinals of the 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix tournament...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 5:01
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 21–3–1 (1)
| Hiromitsu Kanehara
Hiromitsu Kanehara
is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division.Although starting as a professional wrestler in 1991, Kanehara did not have much success as such, and eventually abandoned professional wrestling when his then-home circuit, Fighting Network RINGS, abandoned the...
| TKO (corner stoppage)
| Pride 23
PRIDE 23
Pride 23: Championship Chaos 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 24, 2002.- Jerrel Venetiaan vs. Hirotaka Yokoi:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:40
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 20–3–1 (1)
| Tatsuya Iwasaki
| TKO (head kick and punches)
| Pride Shockwave
PRIDE Shockwave
PRIDE Shockwave was a mixed martial arts and kickboxing event co-promoted by the PRIDE Fighting Championships and K-1 promotions on August 28, 2002. It was held at the Tokyo National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan. This event holds the Pride FC attendance record with 91,107 spectators...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:16
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
| Draw
|align=center| 19–3–1 (1)
| Mirko Filipović
Mirko Filipovic
Mirko Filipović is a former Croatian heavyweight kickboxer, mixed martial artist, politician, and law enforcement officer. Filipović was a member of the Croatian Parliament from 2003 through 2007...
| Draw
| Pride 20
PRIDE 20
Pride 20: Armed and Ready was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on April 28, 2002.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 5
|align=center| 3:00
| Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 19–3 (1)
| Kiyoshi Tamura
Kiyoshi Tamura
is a Japanese middleweight professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.Once a student of legendary Pro Wrestler Akira Maeda, Tamura is known for his skill in catch wrestling as well as his ability to deliver exciting and realistic professional wrestling bouts....
| KO (punch)
| Pride 19
PRIDE 19
Pride 19: Bad Blood was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on February 24, 2002.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:28
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 18–3 (1)
| Alexander Otsuka
Alexander Otsuka
, better known by his ring name Alexander Otsuka, is a Japanese mixed martial arts fighter and professional wrestler. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division. He won his last fight at VFX - Vale Tudo Fighters Mexico against Masada Masada on May 27, 2006...
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| Pride 18
PRIDE 18
Pride 18: Cold Fury 2 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Marine Messe Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan on December 23, 2001.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:02
| Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Fukuoka, Fukuoka
is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 17–3 (1)
| Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba
is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and Dream...
| TKO (doctor stoppage)
| Pride 17
PRIDE 17
Pride 17: Championship Chaos was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on November 3, 2001. This event also saw the crowning of the first Pride FC Heavyweight and Middleweight champions.-Results: Renzo Gracie vs. ...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 10:00
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 16–3 (1)
| Shungo Oyama
Shungo Oyama
Shungo Oyama is a Japanese mixed martial artist with a background in judo and sambo.-Early life:He was born in Nasu District in Tochigi Prefecuture, Japan on April 11, 1974 as Toshiyuki Oyama...
| TKO (punches)
| Pride 14
PRIDE 14
PRIDE 14: Clash of the Titans was a mixed martial arts event held by the PRIDE Fighting Championships. It took place at the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan on May 27, 2001.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:30
| Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 15–3 (1)
| Kazushi Sakuraba
Kazushi Sakuraba
is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and former professional wrestler. He has competed in pro-wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling, UWFi and Kingdom Pro Wrestling. He has fought in MMA competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1 Hero's and Dream...
| TKO (knees and soccer kick)
| Pride 13
PRIDE 13
Pride 13: Collision Course was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. This was the first Pride event allowing knee strikes to the head of someone in the "four-points" position . It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on March 25, 2001...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:38
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 14–3 (1)
| Dan Henderson
Dan Henderson
Daniel Jeffery Henderson, is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler, who competes as a middleweight and light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and was the last Welterweight and Middleweight champion...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 12
PRIDE 12
Pride 12: Cold Fury was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on December 9, 2000.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 10:00
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
| NC
|align=center| 13–3 (1)
| Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Yvel
Gilbert Ramon Yvel is a Dutch heavyweight mixed martial artist associated with the Vos Gym training camp in the Netherlands. He has competed in the Pride Fighting Championships, Affliction Entertainment and Ultimate Fighting Championship promotions...
| No Contest (groin strike)
| Pride 11
PRIDE 11
Pride 11: Battle of the Rising Sun was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan on October 31, 2000.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:21
| Osaka, Osaka, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 13–3
| Guy Mezger
Guy Mezger
Guy Mezger is a retired American martial artist who competed in professional combat sports ranging from full contact karate, kickboxing, and boxing, but is most recognized as a mixed martial arts fighter . He is associated with Lion's Den Dallas...
| KO (punch)
| Pride 10
PRIDE 10
Pride 10: Return of the Warriors was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at Seibu Dome in Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan, on August 27, 2000...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:45
| Saitama, Saitama
Saitama, Saitama
' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 12–3
| Todd Medina
| KO (knees)
| Meca World Vale Tudo 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:39
| Curitiba
Curitiba
Curitiba is the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. It is the largest city with the biggest economy of both Paraná and southern Brazil. The population of Curitiba numbers approximately 1.75 million people and the latest GDP figures for the city surpass US$61 billion according to...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 11–3
| Tito Ortiz
Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz is a Mexican-American mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, having held the title from April 14, 2000 to September 26, 2003. Along with fighters like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, he was one of the sport's early stars...
| Decision (unanimous)
| UFC 25
UFC 25
UFC 25: Ultimate Japan 3 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 14, 2000 at the Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.-History:The event was the third UFC event to be held in Japan...
|
|align=center| 5
|align=center| 5:00
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 11–2
| Bob Schrijber
| Submission (rear naked choke)
| Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round
PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round
The Pride Grand Prix 2000 Opening Round was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 30, 2000. The event began the Pride Openweight tournament of 2000.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:42
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 10–2
| Daijiro Matsui
Daijiro Matsui
Daijiro Matsui is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the light heavyweight division. He has fought in a number of organizations including the Pride Fighting Championships and the Cage Rage Championships.-Career:...
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 8
PRIDE 8
Pride 8 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place on November 21, 1999, at Ariake Coliseum in Tokyo, Japan.-Results:...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 10:00
| Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 9–2
| Carl Malenko
| Decision (unanimous)
| Pride 7
PRIDE 7
Pride 7 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Pride Fighting Championships. It took place on September 12, 1999, at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama, Japan...
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 10:00
| Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 8–2
| Tony Petarra
| KO (knees)
| UFC 20
UFC 20
UFC 20: Battle for the Gold was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 7, 1999 at the Boutwell Auditorium in Birmingham, Alabama...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:53
| Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 7–2
| Eugene Jackson
Eugene Jackson (fighter)
Eugene "The Wolf" Jackson is a retired American mixed martial artist. He fought at Middleweight, and is a former Strikeforce U.S. middleweight champion...
| Submission (punches)
| IVC 10: World Class Champions
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:32
| Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 6–2
| Adrian Serrano
| KO (punches and soccer kick)
| IVC 9: The Revenge
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:22
| Aracaju
Aracaju
-Vegetation:Aracaju lies in tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm and 1,700 mm...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 5–2
| Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort
Vítor Vieira Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Belfort was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family, namely Carlson Gracie. He received a black belt under Carlson and currently trains with Xtreme Couture, fighting in...
| TKO (punches)
| UFC Brazil
UFC Brazil
UFC Brazil: Ultimate Brazil was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship in São Paulo, Brazil on October 16th, 1998...
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:44
| São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 5–1
| Mike Van Arsdale
Mike van Arsdale
Mike van Arsdale is an American mixed martial artist who has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship...
| KO (punch and soccer kick)
| IVC 6: The Challenge
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 4:00
| São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 4–1
| Artur Mariano
| TKO (cut)
| IVC 2: A Question of Pride
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 13:10
| São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 4–0
| Egidio da Costa
| Submission (punches)
| IVC 2: A Question of Pride
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 2:27
| São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 3–0
| Sean Bormet
| KO (head kick)
| IVC 2: A Question of Pride
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 1:19
| São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 2–0
| Marcelao Barbosa
| TKO (shoulder injury)
| Brazilian Vale Tudo 10
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:20
| Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 1–0
| Dilson Filho
| KO (elbow)
| Brazilian Vale Tudo 6
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:35
| Brazil
|