Silva feels free, says UFC tried to force his retirement

Anderson Silva reacted to the termination of his UFC contract on Saturday, saying he feels free "after an attempt to force my retirement."

The UFC parted ways with the former middleweight champion last week, less than a month after his fourth-round knockout loss to Uriah Hall in the Halloween main event.

"I'll make it clear to all my fans that this is a moment of joy and gratitude," Silva wrote on Instagram.

UFC president Dana White said he would never allow Silva to compete in the promotion again after the 45-year-old's latest defeat. There was one bout left on Silva's contract, but White wanted him to retire.

Silva suggested before and after his fight against Hall that it was likely his last in the UFC, but not in MMA. "The Spider" assured fans in his social media post that he's still motivated to compete and is looking forward to his next chapter.

"... I made technical mistakes and lost, but I didn't lose what's most important: the will and the desire to continue doing what I love," Silva wrote.

"... I have total belief that I can continue to compete in the elite of MMA," he continued. "I take this moment to reflect about my career and to plan my next moves. Stay tuned."