Aggressive. Mean. Lethal.  Those are just a few words that can be used to describe one of the great fighters of our generation. When Wanderlei Silva enters the octagon on March 3^rd at the UFC on FUEL TV 8 event, it very well may be for the very last time.

Silva (34-12-1) has been fighting professionally since 1996. He made his debut against a fighter by the name of Dilson Fihlo. Silva KO’d Fihlo at the 3:35 mark of the first round, it was the last time Fihlo fought. Did Silva send him into retirement? Maybe, maybe not, what we do know is that fight was a pre-cursor to a career that would see Silva become one of the greats.

It was early in his military career that it was noticed Silva had an undeniable talent. His ability to fight was quickly recognized as he was entering and winning tournaments for his age group. The next logical step would be to fight professionally. He stormed through International Vale Tudo Championship (IVC) events like a buzz saw. Deadly striking combined with lethal power, had him winning his first four professional fights. His first loss came via doctor stoppage due to a cut over his left eye, a cut that he made worse by head butting his opponent.

Silva finished his career in the IVC when he won the light heavyweight belt with a win via submission by punches, yes punches, over Eugene Jackson in the IVC 10 show. It was after this fight that Silva earned the nickname “The Axe Murderer”.

In 1998 the UFC was starting to gain traction, so Silva made his debut at UFC 17.5 against a fellow Brazilian; Vitor Belfort. It was not a great showing for him as he was stopped 44 seconds into the first round. He made his way back to IVC and to the upstart Pride organizations. He returned to the UFC for his third fight in the organization to fight Tito Ortiz for the vacant Light Heavyweight title, and lost by Unanimous Decision.

It was after the Ortiz fight that Silva went one of the greatest runs by a MMA fighter ever. It would be 18 fights before he would taste defeat again. His record during that time was 16-0, with one draw and one no contest.  It was also during this time that Silva put on some of the greatest fights of his career. Most notable names on his list; Kazushi Sakuraba (whom he beat 3x), Dan Henderson, and Quinton Jackson.

Silva was aggressive and fierce when he entered a fight; his opponent knew that when you fought him it would be a battle. Devastating power is evident when you see that 24 of his 34 wins have come by KO. Even when he is hurt he has the innate ability to lay his fist in that perfect spot on his opponent’s head that puts them to sleep.

Silva knew that is what entertains fans; KOs. Put your opponent to sleep and the fans will go nuts and worship you. When he stepped over the ropes or entered the cage door he was not in there to win a decision. He was there to finish you, even if it meant putting himself in danger of being KO’d. In his rematch with Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in 2006 it was just that fierce aggressiveness and the willingness to stand toe-to-toe with his opponent that his chin finally started to fail him.

Since that fight against Cro Cop, Silva has won just 3 times in 10 fights, four of his seven losses have come in the form of KO. A stark contrast to the fighter that went five years without a loss in Pride, and went from August of 2000 to October of 2004 a span of 18 fights without a loss. Silva was a feared fighter that made his living putting his opponents on their face, and stiffened up like a board now he was the one being put down.

Now with Silva getting ready to face off against a KO specialist in his next fight it makes you wonder; will this be the end? He has stated several times that retirement is not on his mind. It should be. This should be his last fight. There is no arguing that he is one of the greats. He has nothing left to prove. He has fought and beaten the best of his era. Some may argue he has no place in the UFC Hall of Fame. When you consider his UFC record is a paltry 4-7. But he deserves his place in the HOF due to his overall career.

Just like some people say they saw Barry Sanders or Michael Jordan play, years from now fans of MMA will be able to tell their children “I saw Wanderlei Silva fight.”

Wanderlei Silva is scheduled to take on Brian Stann March 3^rd at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan on UFC on FUEL TV 8.

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