Dana White praises Anderson Silva, says he “might actually be the GOAT of combat sports”

UFC president Dana White praised former UFC middleweight champion, Anderson Silva, saying he “might actually be the GOAT of combat sports.”

Silva knocked out Tito Ortiz in a boxing match this past Saturday night for Triller Fight Club, this coming after defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. with a split decision upset earlier this year. Even at age 46, Silva is still competing and looking great. As far as White goes, it’s proof that the former UFC middleweight kingpin could possibly be the greatest combat sports fighter of all time, as he told media following Tuesday night’s Contender Series.

“Anderson Silva, we honestly need to start talking again about this guy as the GOAT. Not Tito because he knocked Tito out in 40 f*cking 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,” White said (via MMAjunkie.com). “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*cking 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.”

Although White didn’t have good things to say about Ortiz in boxing, he did credit him with having a good chin and said that he was impressed with how quickly Silva KOed him.

“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.”

Do you agree with Dana White that Anderson Silva might actually be the GOAT in combat sports?