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.”