Anderson Silva to be inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

"The Spider" is getting immortalized.

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer as part of the Class of 2023.

Silva is one of the greatest fighters of all time and the best 185-pound athlete in mixed martial arts history.

He holds numerous UFC records, including most middleweight title defenses (10), longest winning streak (16), most finishes at middleweight, and most finishes in UFC title fights. He also owns the second-most consecutive title defenses in promotion history (10) after Demetrious Johnson.

Silva took the UFC by storm when he debuted in 2006, winning back-to-back fights before knocking out Rich Franklin to begin the greatest championship run in middleweight history. As champion, he defeated the likes of Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, Vitor Belfort, and Chael Sonnen (twice).

The Brazilian had a rough end to his Octagon career, going 1-6 (1 NC) after losing the belt to Chris Weidman in 2013. His one victory in that stretch was a decision over Derek Brunson in 2017. His final UFC appearance was a knockout loss to Uriah Hall in 2020.

Silva moved to boxing in 2021 and immediately found success. He pulled off a major upset against former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and then knocked out fellow ex-UFC champ Tito Ortiz. In his most recent bout, Silva lost to YouTube star turned prizefighter Jake Paul by unanimous decision last October.

It is unclear whether Silva plans to compete in MMA again. His record sits at 34-11 (1 NC).