Anderson Silva ponders retirement following UFC 237 loss

Anderson Silva doesn't know what's next - if anything - in his fighting career.

After the former UFC middleweight champion suffered a TKO loss due to injury against Jared Cannonier on Saturday at UFC 237, he openly questioned his fighting future in an Instagram post.

"Over the last four days, after another mission that wasn't successful, I’m questioning if I should or shouldn’t continue training, dedicating, overcoming injuries, pain, etc," Silva wrote in Portuguese, as translated by Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting. "I ask myself, 'Is the love that I feel for the sport consuming my mind and my body to the point that I can no longer continue?'"

The 44-year-old Silva did come out of Saturday's bout without a serious knee injury, but that may not be enough to see him fight again.

"My heart and mind of a warrior get confused to a point that creates doubts," he added in the Instagram post. "On one side I realize I’m not and don't have to be perfect, and how much this search (for perfection) has brought me good and bad things over the years."

Silva (34-9) has just one victory, a unanimous decision over Derek Brunson at UFC 208, in his last eight contests. His win over Nick Diaz at UFC 183 was overturned to a no-contest after both fighters tested positive for banned substances. Prior to this rough stretch, the Sao Paulo native had gone on a 17-fight winning streak, which included nine straight victories in the UFC.