Wanderlei Silva Disqualified, Knocked Unconscious in Postfight Brawl

Wanderlei Silva was disqualified and later knocked unconscious in a chaotic postfight brawl at Spaten Fight Night 2 in São Paulo on Saturday night, ending the MMA legend's first combat appearance in seven years in controversy and violence. Silva, who had met former world boxing champion Acelino Popo Freitas in the scheduled boxing exhibition main event, was disqualified in the fourth round after repeated fouls, and video posted to social media showed him struck and left motionless in the ring as teams from both sides clashed.

According to ring officials and local reports, the referee penalized Silva multiple times for illegal blows, including headbutts, and deducted three points in the fourth round before disqualifying him at 1 minute, 34 seconds of that frame. Freitas, a two-time world champion in professional boxing, had dominated much of the contest, landing several hard shots in the opening rounds, the reports said. Several accounts said Silva—making his first fight since a 2018 knockout loss to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson—had attempted a more aggressive, MMA-like approach and committed a series of fouls after being rocked earlier in the bout.