Dana White and Anderson Silva exchange on UFC exit

A long-simmering dispute between UFC President Dana White and former middleweight champion Anderson Silva has resurfaced, highlighting the bitter end to one of the sport's most legendary careers. Silva responded sharply on social media after White discussed their fractured relationship in a recent interview.

White stated that Silva has not spoken to him since 2020, when the UFC released the fighter. According to White, the rift began when he informed Silva that his time with the promotion was over following a series of losses. "He lost like eight or nine or 10 in a row, something like that," White said, adding that Silva, then in his forties, took offense at being told he could no longer compete in the UFC. White clarified that he told Silva, "You can still fight. You just can't do it here."

In a response posted in Portuguese in the comments of an Instagram post discussing White's remarks, Silva repeatedly referred to the UFC executive as "the bald guy" and disputed his characterization. "I've been out of the organization for many years already, but apparently neither the current fighters nor the bald guy can forget my accomplishments," Silva wrote. He asserted that during his...