Anderson Silva is officially off the UFC 212 fight card.
UFC officials announced Silva would be taken off the card Thursday, per MMA Junkie, days after the Brazilian legend announced it himself.
“I really wanted to fight in Brazil, my country, but it’s not going to happen,” Silva said Saturday, per MMA Junkie. “I want to apologize for this. I really wanted to fight here, but it didn’t happen. I think I was hurt in this, but that’s it.”
Silva was originally slated to face Kelvin Gastelum, who was taken off the card due to a positive drug test. UFC did not successfully find Silva a replacement opponent for the pay-per-view event, which will be held June 3 in Rio De Janeiro.
Silva, 42, last fought at UFC 208 in February. He defeated Derek Brunson via unanimous decision despite controversy, his first win since October 2012.
A former UFC middleweight champion, Silva has seemed disillusioned with UFC President Dana White‘s handling of the division. In an Instagram video posted Tuesday, Silva called White “The Almighty” on multiple occasions as part of an expletive-laded tirade.
“I’m outraged, but I’m happy I’m ending a camp that wasn’t money thrown away,” Silva said, per Fernanda Prates of MMA Junkie. “With people I’m always learning with, a lot of cool people. I’m happy, coming home happy. In a way, happier than if I had fought. We managed to make ‘The Almighty’ alert. He’s going to have to put Romero to fight, there are no excuses. He’s the No. 1 ranked, and Bisping said he’s ready to fight. There are no excuses. In a way, I helped a co-worker.”
UFC has not announced a replacement bout for the scheduled Silva co-headliner. The promotion said anyone seeking a refund for purchased tickets may do so until May 18.
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