Watch: Surreal video of Uriah Hall doing to Anderson Silva exactly what the Brazilian did to Forrest Griffin
Uriah Hall posted the fight-ending sequence of his win against veteran Anderson Silva, comparing it to the Brazilian's memorable knockout of Forrest Griffin. For the longest time, the head movement while moving backwards and the sniping right-hand was Silva's signature move.
Uriah Hall finished Anderson Silva with that same exact sequence as Anderson Silva finished Forrest Griffin with. The similarity between both the finishes is quite surreal.
The knockout loss to Hall was Silva's third in a row. Silva has won only one of his last 9 fights in the Octagon, characterising a sharp decline in fortunes after an incredible run from 2006 to 2012 when he held the UFC middleweight title.
Uriah Hall's knockout of Anderson Silva similar to the 45-year-old's KO of Forest Griffin
At 45-years-old, Silva is well past his athletic prime. Despite that, the Brazilian phenom showed in glimpses in the fight against Hall why he is considered by many as one of the greatest of all time.
However, MMA can often be an unforgiving sport as it proves to be for veteran fighters like Silva, Diego Sanchez and countless others. The knockout at the hands of Hall signified a full circle for the Brazilian.
Although Silva refused to rule out a return to the sport in the post-fight interview, his statement later on Instagram hinted that he might be hanging up his gloves after all.
"I hope I left it in memory and in the heart of each of you a little of who I am, that you can overcome difficulties, every second of uncertainty and to overcome obstacles in your lives! Never think about giving up, as hard as things get at some point; know that I leave all my love, all my respect for you."
Anderson Silva's success in the Octagon inspired a number of strikers to take up the sport such as Hall, current Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and many more. However, as Dana White stated after the fight, it is perhaps time for him to call time on his stellar career.
"I made a big mistake. I shouldn’t have let him fight this fight tonight but out of respect to him, he’s a legend of this sport and a legend of this company, I did something that I disagreed with. I knew I was right and tonight proved I was right. Anderson Silva should never fight again," he said.