
Biography EARLY MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING: Silva's family was unable to afford expensive lessons in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu early on. “When I started out, Jiu-Jitsu was really an elite thing in Brazil, and there was some prejudice towards poorer kids, so I had to learn things on my own,” he told Fight! Magazine. “Some of my neighbors started doing Jiu-Jitsu, so I started watching it, and then started rolling with them. It wasn’t organized training, but it was better than nothing.” Despite this, Silva's supportive family did find the money to pay for Tae Kwon Do lessons (age 12). Silva then moved onto Capoeira before settling on Muay Thai by the age of 16. EARLY MMA CAREER: Though Silva indicates that he lost his first bout to Fabricio Marango, this fight does not appear on his official record. Officially, Silva lost his first bout to Luiz Azeredo in a Meca World Vale Tudo event by decision. In his next fight within the same organization, he knocked out Jose Barreto after only 1:06 had gone by in the initial round. Chute Box Academy and Anderson Silva: Silva joined Brazil’s famed Chute Box Academy, the training camp that Wanderlei Silva, amongst many others, had once been a part of. Chute Box had simply been impressed with his raw talent. Along with this, he developed a reasonable ground game while with them and continued on the course to becoming one of the most feared strikers in the game. Silva's MMA career took a nice turn when he won nine straight fights between 2000-03. Along the way, he defeated the well-respected Hayato Sakurai by decision to become the Shooto Middleweight Champion. LEAVING CHUTE BOX AND PRIDE: Silva went a mediocre 3-2 while fighting for the PRIDE Fighting Championships. Along the way in 2003, he and Chute Box parted ways over a bitter money argument. Later, Silva heard that Chute Box ordered PRIDE to refrain from giving him any fights or they would pull superstar Wanderlei Silva from their roster. That’s when Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira offered a friendly hand to train with him. It was a match made in heaven. Silva improved his ground game immeasurably, gaining a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2005. Further, Nogueira’s clout erased a good portion of Chute Box’s control. UFC CHAMPIONSHIP: To say that a new and improved Anderson Silva came to the UFC on June 28, 2006, is an understatement. Silva simply destroyed Chris Leben, a tough fighter, in his UFC debut after only 49 seconds by way of knockout. Then he blew former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin out of the water with his dangerous Muay Thai clinch after only 2:59 had gone by. Next up, he fought his way back from near defeat against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace Travis Lutter, only to end up submitting him. Simply put, an MMA star was born. FIGHTING STYLE: Silva’s long limbs work perfectly with his pinpoint and powerful strikes. He has the whole kickboxing package-great punches, kicks, knees, and clinch-to go along with an excellent guard and deadly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In the end, Silva is one of the most proficient strikers to ever compete in MMA. Three of Anderson Silva's Greatest Knockouts: Anderson Silva KO's Chris Leben at Ultimate Fight Night 5 on June 28, 2006 in only 49 seconds: Silva's performance caused the world to realize two things. First, that jaw of Chris Leben's was not impenetrable. Second, there was a big difference between his technical striking and Leben's. This was Silva's UFC debut. Anderson Silva KO's Rich Franklin at UFC 64: Unstoppable on October 14, 2006 at the 2:59 mark of round one: Before this fight, Franklin thought that the clinch would be his sweet spot. Afterwards, he and the rest of the world knew that Silva's Muay Thai clinch made everyone else's fail in comparison. Anderson Silva KO's James Irvin at Fight Night 14 on July 19, 2008 at the 1:01 mark of round one: The question was, could Silva continue to dominate if he jumped up in weight to the light heavyweight division? The answer after a stellar right hand dropped Irvin was yes.

Biography

EARLY MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING:

Silva's family was unable to afford expensive lessons in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu early on. “When I started out, Jiu-Jitsu was really an elite thing in Brazil, and there was some prejudice towards poorer kids, so I had to learn things on my own,” he told Fight! Magazine. “Some of my neighbors started doing Jiu-Jitsu, so I started watching it, and then started rolling with them. It wasn’t organized training, but it was better than nothing.”

Despite this, Silva's supportive family did find the money to pay for Tae Kwon Do lessons (age 12). Silva then moved onto Capoeira before settling on Muay Thai by the age of 16.

EARLY MMA CAREER:

Though Silva indicates that he lost his first bout to Fabricio Marango, this fight does not appear on his official record. Officially, Silva lost his first bout to Luiz Azeredo in a Meca World Vale Tudo event by decision. In his next fight within the same organization, he knocked out Jose Barreto after only 1:06 had gone by in the initial round.

Chute Box Academy and Anderson Silva:

Silva joined Brazil’s famed Chute Box Academy, the training camp that Wanderlei Silva, amongst many others, had once been a part of. Chute Box had simply been impressed with his raw talent. Along with this, he developed a reasonable ground game while with them and continued on the course to becoming one of the most feared strikers in the game.
Silva's MMA career took a nice turn when he won nine straight fights between 2000-03. Along the way, he defeated the well-respected Hayato Sakurai by decision to become the Shooto Middleweight Champion.

LEAVING CHUTE BOX AND PRIDE:

Silva went a mediocre 3-2 while fighting for the PRIDE Fighting Championships. Along the way in 2003, he and Chute Box parted ways over a bitter money argument. Later, Silva heard that Chute Box ordered PRIDE to refrain from giving him any fights or they would pull superstar Wanderlei Silva from their roster. That’s when Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira offered a friendly hand to train with him.
It was a match made in heaven. Silva improved his ground game immeasurably, gaining a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2005. Further, Nogueira’s clout erased a good portion of Chute Box’s control.

UFC CHAMPIONSHIP:

To say that a new and improved Anderson Silva came to the UFC on June 28, 2006, is an understatement. Silva simply destroyed Chris Leben, a tough fighter, in his UFC debut after only 49 seconds by way of knockout. Then he blew former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin out of the water with his dangerous Muay Thai clinch after only 2:59 had gone by. Next up, he fought his way back from near defeat against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ace Travis Lutter, only to end up submitting him.
Simply put, an MMA star was born.

FIGHTING STYLE:

Silva’s long limbs work perfectly with his pinpoint and powerful strikes. He has the whole kickboxing package-great punches, kicks, knees, and clinch-to go along with an excellent guard and deadly Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

In the end, Silva is one of the most proficient strikers to ever compete in MMA.

Three of Anderson Silva's Greatest Knockouts:

Anderson Silva KO's Chris Leben at Ultimate Fight Night 5 on June 28, 2006 in only 49 seconds: Silva's performance caused the world to realize two things. First, that jaw of Chris Leben's was not impenetrable. Second, there was a big difference between his technical striking and Leben's. This was Silva's UFC debut.

Anderson Silva KO's Rich Franklin at UFC 64: Unstoppable on October 14, 2006 at the 2:59 mark of round one: Before this fight, Franklin thought that the clinch would be his sweet spot. Afterwards, he and the rest of the world knew that Silva's Muay Thai clinch made everyone else's fail in comparison.

Anderson Silva KO's James Irvin at Fight Night 14 on July 19, 2008 at the 1:01 mark of round one: The question was, could Silva continue to dominate if he jumped up in weight to the light heavyweight division? The answer after a stellar right hand dropped Irvin was yes.