Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, one of the greatest fighters in MMA history, is nearing the end of his fighting career. Yet as he gears up for a high-stakes UFC 237 showdown with the dangerous Jared Cannonier, he suggested he might have one last UFC title run in him. UFC gold just isn’t a priority like it used to be.

“I never put something in my mind like, ‘Oh I need to fight again for the belt,” Silva told the media in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this week (via MMA Junkie). “No. That’s a part in my life I passed. But I continue to fight. But I don’t know – maybe I have a new opportunity to fight for the belt. I don’t know.

“But I’m not putting my whole energy like, ‘Oh, I need to get back to fight for the title.’ No. That’s the (second) point for me, the first point is just continue to fight, continue to put my heart in the sport, then maybe I have a chance to fight for the belt again.”

Whatever the case, Anderson Silva is content to keep fighting for the time being — starting with Jared Cannonier.

“Everybody talk about ‘fight this guy or this guy,’ but for me I think it’s more important you make something special for the fans,” Silva said. “In my opinion and my position now I’m trying to do something very special for my fans. When I fight Israel (Adesanya) everybody talk about, ‘Why you fight him? Why you take the fight?’ Because it’s a good challenge for myself, for my mind.

“I feel good – I intend to do all of them,” he added. “For the joy of some and sadness of others, I intend to keep bothering people.”

Do you think Anderson Silva has one more title run in him?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.COM on 4/18/2019.