'Bigfoot' Silva Says He’s Fighting 'TUF 28' Winner Juan Espino on March 23 in Spain
Despite being mired in a lengthy losing streak, former UFC heavyweight title challenger Antonio Silva continues to soldier onward.
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“I am very happy to fight against [someone I respect] in my career, someone who motivates me to be a better fighter and I admire,” Silva wrote on Instagram (via translated text). “A fight full of respect where victory or defeat is not sought but to thank all the fans who have supported us with a great show.”
Including boxing and bare knuckle boxing, Silva has lost 11 consecutive professional fights dating back to November 2015, with all but two of those defeats coming via knockout or technical knockout. The 44-year-old Brazilian hasn’t tasted victory since a second-round stoppage of Soa Palelei at UFC 190 on Aug. 1, 2015. In his heyday, Silva was a heavyweight contender in both the UFC and Strikeforce who earned notable wins over the likes of Alistair Overeem, Travis Browne, Fedor Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski, among others.
Espino, who won Season 28 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” announced his retirement from MMA in April 2023. That announcement came two years after his last bout, a technical decision loss to Alexander Romanov at UFC on ESPN 22 on April 17, 2021. “El Guapo” went 2-1 in the UFC and 10-2 as a professional, but he admitted to wanting to exit the sport on his terms in a post on social media.
“Deep in my heart I was left with a prickly thorn,” Espino wrote on Instagram (via translated text). “It has nothing to do with winning or losing... . I couldn’t allow injuries to keep me from saying goodbye the way I like best.”
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