Dana White: ‘Anderson Silva Might Actually Be the GOAT of Combat Sports’

UFC president Dana White is no fan of the boxing event held by Triller over the weekend, but he did have some very positive things to say about former middleweight king Anderson Silva.

Silva knocked out Tito Ortiz 81 seconds into the first round of their matchup, which was supposed to be contested at 195 pounds. That fight, along with the rest of the card — which included Vitor Belfort’s first-round TKO of Evander Holyfield in the main event — were ultimately deemed to be exhibitions by the Florida commission after initially being promoted by Triller as professional bouts.

While speaking to assembled media following Week 3 of the Contender Series, White briefly discussed the Triller-promoted event, along with Silva’s performance and standing in combat sports.

“Guys, let me put it to you this way: anybody who is f—-ing dumb enough and willing to pay and watch these f—-ing fights, Anderson Silva boxed Tito Ortiz,” White said. “[He] boxed Tito Ortiz. Tito Ortiz has no business f—ing boxing anybody. Tito’s 40-f—ing—something years old, Evander Holyfield is almost 60 years old and he’s f—-ing fighting. It’s silly. All of it’s silly, and there’s always gonna be a certain number of people that are dumb enough to buy these fights and pay for them.”

However, White was impressed by Silva, who also defeated former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by split decision in a boxing match in Mexico on June 19. “The Spider” parted ways with the UFC in October 2020 following a loss to Uriah Hall. The 46-year-old Brazilian was victorious in just one of his last nine Octagon appearances.

“Anderson Silva, we honestly need to start talking again about this guy as the GOAT,” White said “Not Tito because he knocked Tito out in 40 f—king seconds, but you know what, he did to Tito exactly what should be done to Tito. Knocking Tito out in 40 seconds is what should have happened in that fight. Anderson Silva beat Chavez Jr. at 46 years old.

“He now left this sport, which he was considered one of the greatest of all time, possibly even the greatest of all time, goes out, beats Chavez Jr. in a boxing match, and knocks Tito out in 40 seconds. And you know what I think of Tito personally, and Tito can’t box. Tito’s a horrible boxer. That’s why I said I would box him. Do you ever see me saying I’ll fight any other f—ing guy in the UFC? No, and I never will. I never would, and 10 years ago I wouldn’t, but I would Tito all day long.”

Though White doesn’t think much of Ortiz’s skills in the Sweet Science, he did commend “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” for his durability, which makes Silva’s triumph all the more impressive in his mind.

“The other thing is when Tito fought here, Tito had a good chin,” White said. “Tito took big shots from a lot of guys who hit hard. Anderson Silva knocked him out in 40 seconds. Anderson Silva might actually be the GOAT of combat sports. It’ll be interesting to see what he does next.”