Anderson Silva misses UFC HOF induction; son talks about bearing the weight of 'The Spider' legacy
Anderson Silva's son Kalyl Silva attended the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony on behalf of his father. 'The Spider' wasn't present for his Hall of Fame induction tonight.
In an interview with BT Sport's Caroline Pearce on the Hall of Fame red carpet, up-and-coming professional boxer Kalyl Silva suggested that "it's amazing" to be at the ceremony and witness all of it.
Additionally, Kalyl Silva lauded his father for his extraordinary accomplishments. He also recalled walking out with his father to the latter's UFC fights, including his much-discussed matchup against fellow MMA legend Vitor Belfort. Silva added that as a son and a fan of MMA, he's "beyond proud" of 'The Spider.'
When asked if Anderson Silva had any message, Kalyl Silva replied by saying:
"Yes, yes. He did give me a message. And I have a very special message that I wrote myself as well that I wanna show in my speech for him."
Kalyl Silva was then asked what kind of an inspiration his father has been to him as a father and a fighter. The young pugilist responded by asserting:
"A huge inspiration. From overcoming to even small things, he's a huge inspiration, my biggest inspiration, and my biggest motivator as well, both as a fighter and as a son."
Furthermore, he was asked about any words of advice his father specifically shared with him in his career. Kalyl Silva replied by stating:
"Just to be myself. Do things that make me happy. And no matter what I'm doing, to do it with a smile on my face."
Watch Kalyl Silva discuss the topic in the video below:
No Anderson Silva with us tonight but we are joined by his son, Kalyl 🇧🇷
He's followed his father into the fight game...
#UFC290 https://t.co/FOI1724faC
Kalyl Silva discusses bearing the weight of 'The Spider' legacy as Anderson Silva joins the UFC Hall of Fame
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva holds a professional MMA record of 34 victories, 11 defeats, and 1 NC (No Contest). The 48-year-old Brazilian MMA great also boasts the longest title reign in UFC history (2,457 days). The UFC released Silva in late 2020. 'The Spider' was subsequently a bit critical of UFC president Dana White and the UFC organization.
Regardless, as seen in Anderson Silva's recent Instagram post above, he's expressed his gratitude for his illustrious UFC career. Silva continues to compete in the combat sports realm, particularly as a boxer. Meanwhile, the 24-year-old Kalyl Silva has been carving his own legacy.
On the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet, the 2-0 professional boxer was notably asked about bearing the weight of his father's legacy. Silva replied by stating:
"The pressure is always there. The nervousness; there's a certain expectation of me -- A certain performance expectation; many, many expectations. But I feel like people will talk regardless; whether it be good things, whether it be bad things. Whatever it is, I just like to focus on me, and focus on what I have to do, and what makes me happy."
Check out Kalyl Silva's comments in the video below:
Kalyl Silva talks about overcoming the pressure and expectations that come with being Anderson Silva's son. https://t.co/paRlWUwrfL