UFC releases Anderson Silva from contract
The UFC severed ties with Anderson Silva, making him free to sign with another promotion, UFC president Dana White told TMZ Sports after a report by MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz.
Silva confirmed in October that his bout against Uriah Hall on Halloween would be his last in the UFC, despite still having one more fight left on his contract.
White originally denied Silva's release, but the UFC president later confirmed that the report was accurate. White said he believes the 45-year-old shouldn't fight again.
Silva held the middleweight championship from 2006-13, successfully defending the title 10 times. He wore the belt for 2,457 days, a UFC record for a champion in any division.
He lost seven of his final nine fights, beginning with his shocking title loss to Chris Weidman in 2013. His lone win over that span came against Derek Brunson in 2017. "The Spider" also had a unanimous decision victory against Nick Diaz overturned to a no-contest after he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
While he acknowledged the Hall fight would mark his last trip to the Octagon, Silva hasn't ruled out fighting for another promotion.