As Anderson Silva collapsed to the ground in the UFC 237 co-main main event, clutching his knee in pain, we all experienced terrifying flashbacks to his 2013 loss to Chris Weidman. At best, it looked as though Silva’s ligaments had been hacked to pieces by Jared Cannonier’s crippling leg kicks.
Yet according to a report from MMA Fighting, which cites sources close to Anderson Silva, the former middleweight champ did not sustain any serious injuries in his UFC 237 loss to Cannonier.
An MRI has revealed that his ligaments are healthy. Silva will only needs to undergo some physical therapy before he’s able to start training for his next fight. And from the sounds of it, there will be a next fight.
Speaking on Instagram after his loss, Anderson Silva updated his fans and implied that he’ll continue to compete in the UFC’s Octagon.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxYQFbaAuWZ/
“Until the limit, pain is your friend. It shows you’re not dead yet,” Silva wrote in Portuguese (translation via MMA Fighting). “They say that great symbols become great targets. Maybe. But the most important thing is not to victimize yourself. If you fall, get up. If it’s broken, fix it. No giving up or thinking that you can’t because you lost one battle.
“The saying is, I’m going until the end and the more they pressure me, the more I’ll want to to go until the end. There’s nothing more wild than feeling sorry for yourself. An old lion, surrounded by hungry hyenas, crazy to eat him, and he stills fights until death without ever giving up or feeling sorry for himself. And it won’t be different with me. Strength and honor.”
What do you think the future holds for Anderson Silva after his UFC 237 setback against Jared Cannonier? Join the conversation in the comments section.
This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 5/13/2019.