Anderson Silva has accomplished a ton in his MMA career, but there is one moment that sticks out the most for him.
Throughout Silva’s legendary MMA career, he won titles in Shooto, Cage Rage, and the UFC, including defending his middleweight title 10 times and holding the belt for 2457 days. He’s considered one of the best ever but his favorite memory from his career is when he earned a decision win over Hayato Sakurai at Shooto 7 on August 26, 2001, to win the Shooto middleweight title, which was the first title the Brazilian won in MMA.
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“Wow. I think it is my first title belt in Japan in Shooto that was a very special moment for me,” Silva said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com.
Although this answer may surprise some due to the fact Silva was a long-reigning UFC champion with wins over the likes of Chael Sonnen, Dan Henderson, Demian Maia, Vitor Belfort, Rich Franklin, and Forrest Griffin among others. Yet, winning his first-ever MMA title was special for Silva and it’s something he still holds close to his heart.
As of right now, it appears that the legendary MMA career is likely over. Silva was released by the UFC after his loss to Uriah Hall but will return to boxing on Saturday night against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. It’s an intriguing matchup and if Silva wins it would also help cement his overall legacy as a combat sports fighter.
Yet, although he’s focused on his fight, Silva says he may fight in MMA again after Saturday. He says he just wants to do things he likes and is open to competing in a variety of combat sports.
“Maybe, everything is possible. Right now, at this moment in my life, my focus is on this fight. After that, maybe I can do anything,” Silva said. “Fight jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, muay Thai, wrestling, Judo, I don’t know. That’s my goal right now is just focus on this fight.”
Are you surprised this was Anderson Silva’s favorite memory from his MMA career?