Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will not fight in 2014 despite prior optimism from the fighter and UFC president Dana White.
“This year is over for me,” Silva told Brazilian outlet Combate. “There’s a chance I’ll fight in the first half of 2015.”
Silva severely broke his left leg in a UFC 168 loss to Chris Weidman on Dec. 28 and has been slowly working his way back to full health.
The 38-year-old had successful surgery immediately after suffering the injury. The UFC’s orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Steven Sanders, inserted an intramedullary rod into Silva’s left tibia and his broken fibula was stabilized.
During an appearance on Arsenio Hall’s talk show in January, White said Silva was recovering well and that he would “fight before the end of this year.”
Silva is 33-6 in MMA and began his UFC career 16-0 before two consecutive losses to Weidman. He holds the UFC record for most consecutive wins and title defences, among many other milestones, but does not foresee himself competing in a title fight again – at least not in the middleweight division.
“Anderson’s phase as the champion is over,” Silva said. “Fighting for (the belt) is a little far away from me.”
Silva also told Combate he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to fulfill the 10-fight contract he signed prior to UFC 168.
“My family has been asking me for years to stop fighting, and they need to understand that this is what I love to do and that I need to have my time,” Silva added. “My goal in the sport was to become a reference in this sport, and I’m achieving this.”
Silva, who is widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, recently began training again, including throwing kicks with the leg he broke.
