The end of an era? Uriah Hall defeats Silva in a decisive victory.

BY MARCEL MARIAK

Uriah Hall defeats Silva in a decisive victory.

The UFC is a massive fight promotion with over 500 fighters on their roster. Out of these fighters, only a small percentage are dominant enough in their careers to ever become a UFC champion; and out of this small cadre of champions, only one or two can captivate the world. The Brazilian, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, is recognized by many fans as one of the most dominant fighters of all time. His impressive record of title defences, paired with an ability to put opponents to sleep with a single touch made Silva an instant favourite in the MMA community. At his peak, Silva was arguably the most dominant fighter in the world. Unfortunately, as the years wore on and Silva aged, younger more explosive fighters began to surpass him. Luckily for MMA fans around the world, Silva’s age didn’t deter him from entering the cage, and he is currently the UFC’s oldest active fighter at 45 years old. On October 31st, Silva stepped into the cage against the much younger Uriah Hall (36 years) at UFC Fight Night 181. Uriah “Prime Time” Hall, a Jamaican-American martial artist boasting a satisfactory 16-9 record and going into the fight with a two fight winning streak looked like a strong opponent for Silva. Despite his younger age and explosive movements, Uriah Hall knew defeating the legendary Silva would be no easy task. As for Silva, many rumours were surrounding the event that this would be Silva’s retirement fight.

The Fight
At the beginning of the bout, both fighters were hesitant to engage with the other. Uriah Hall was well aware of Silva’s elusive movements and knockout capability, and Silva recognized that his body wouldn’t be able to handle too much punishment from the younger warrior. Both fighters started the first round with a lengthy “feeling out process” in which they attempted to pick up on their foe’s rhythm. During the first round, the warriors exchanged a few fight shots and leg kicks, with neither fighter throwing any powerful blows.

In the second round, both fighters seemed to become a bit more comfortable with each other as they both began to commit more to their strikes and engage often. While Uriah Hall was throwing powerful strikes at his opponent, The Spider’s elusive movements and lightning-fast footwork made it nearly impossible for the young fighter to land significant strikes. Throughout the second round, both warriors continued to exchange strikes with neither fighter looking to bring the fight to the canvas.

At the end of the second round, both fighters looked warmed up and came out into the third round firing on all cylinders. Hall became much more calm and aggressive with his attacks, while Silva showed off the elusive movement and creative striking that put him on the map. In the closing seconds of the first round, Anderson Silva attempted an aggressive attack but as he was closing the distance, he found himself on the receiving end of a powerful right hand. This strike put Silva on the mat and Hall followed up with a powerful ground-and-pound. Before Hall could finish the fight, the horn sounded on the third round and Silva was saved by the bell.

In the fourth round, Hall was determined to maintain his momentum and finish his hurt opponent. Only one minute into the first round, Hall hit Silva with another shot that dropped the former champion. Committed to finishing the fight this time, Hall attacked Silva with a brutal ground attack, and the referee, Herb Dean, was forced to stop the fight. At the end of the day, the outcome of the fight wasn’t surprising. The younger, more explosive fighter was able to defeat the weathered veteran. After the fight, both warriors knelt in front of each other in an emotional sign of respect. Hall bowed to his childhood hero and said, “I’m so sorry. I love you.”

Sadly, this loss could spell the end of the road for Silva. With a broken nose, lacerated eyelid, and a 6-month medical suspension, there’s a good chance that The Spider will not be returning to the cage. Although he did not comment on his retirement in the post-fight interview, it’s reasonable to assume that Silva won’t be returning. While the fight didn’t go as Silva had hoped, he inspired a generation of young fighters and his legacy will live on forever. As for Hall, the young lion will undoubtedly continue to strive for the middleweight belt and to cement his legacy in the UFC.