UFC Cuts Ties With Fighter Days After He Leaves Octagon On Stretcher

Forbes

16-05-2025

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - MAY 10: Marc-Andre Barriault of Canada reacts after a knockout victory against ... More Bruno Silva of Brazil during the UFC 315 event at Bell Centre on May 10, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
One of the most unsettling moments at UFC 315 occurred when Bruno Silva left the Octagon after suffering a knockout loss to Marc-Andre Barriault on the early prelims of the fight card. Days after the event, Silva is no longer a member of the active UFC roster.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - DECEMBER 11: Bruno Silva of Brazil celebrates his knockout victory over Jordan ... More Wright in their middleweight fight during the UFC 269 event at T-Mobile Arena on December 11, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by)
The 35-year-old Silva joined the UFC in 2019, but his promotional debut was delayed for two years after a failed drug test when an arbitrator ruled that Silva's test revealed 'boldenone and its metabolite, 5β-androst-1-en-17β-hydroxy-3-one, at a level inconsistent with boldenone meat contamination as the result of a urine sample collected out-of-competition on May 27, 2019.'
Silva, a former M-1 Global middleweight champion, opened his UFC run with three knockout wins in 2021.
When the calendar turned to 2022, things went south for the Brazilian. He began the year with a decision loss to future two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira. He followed that with a submission loss to Gerald Meerschaert before defeating Brad Tavares via knockout. in 2023.
After his win over Tavares, Silva lost four straight fights ahead of his matchup against Barriault in Montreal at UFC 315. Silva missed weight for the scheduled middleweight scrap, coming in at 187 pounds.
Barriault ended things 87 seconds into the contest, dropping Silva with elbows against the fence before adding several ground strikes.
Silva stayed on the canvas long after the knockout and he left the Octagon on a stretcher with his neck immobilized. The UFC broadcast team later reported that the precautions were taken after Silva complained of neck pain.
Silva was examined and released from a Montreal hospital later that night, writing in Portuguese, 'Stopping by to inform that I'm fine. I went to the hospital and did exams, it's all OK with my health.'
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - OCTOBER 26: Bruno Silva of Brazil prepares to face Ismail Naurdiev ... More of Russia in a middleweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Silva spoke to MMA Fighting about the mental health struggles he had following his 2024 decision loss to Ismail Naurdiev at UFC 308 in October 2024.
'I got back home from Abu Dhabi the Monday after the fight and my team and I knew there was a 100 percent chance I was getting cut,' Silva said. 'Four losses. And not only losses, but really bad performances. … I wasn't fighting to win, I was fighting to survive. And the last fight was the worst. All I thought was, 'God, get me out of here. I don't wanna be here. I can't do this anymore. Not like this.' I still survived all three rounds. I fought really bad, but still survived.'
After the fight, Silva had a chat with Pereira about the setback and his expectations of being released by the promotion.
'I called him to chat and told him what was going on,' Silva said, referring to the mental health issues he had publicly revealed earlier that day. 'I feared it was the end of my career. And he was like, 'I'll give you an idea: why don't you talk to [UFC matchmaker] Mick [Maynard]? Why don't you reach out to the UFC in person and explain what's going on? I know you, I fought you, and I know you're fighting way under your abilities.''
Silva said he called Maynard, who told him that with four losses in a row, he could not help him.
After a few minutes of prayer, Silva reached out to Maynard a second time, writing him a message.
'Mick, I've never said 'no' to any fight, and never turned down any opponent,' Silva remembers writing. 'I fought everybody you offered. Nobody wanted to fight Poatan and I did it. Nobody wanted to fight Shara [Magomedov] and I did it. There was no one I turned down. You know my performance has dropped, but give me some time, man. Let me get treatment, take care of my head. Let me get a psychiatrist and take medication, let me find balance again.'
Silva's second message worked.
'Bruno, I'll give you one more fight,' Maynard wrote, according to Silva. 'If you lose, there's really nothing I can do. It's in your hands now.'
With a fight on the horizon, the Brazilian competitor focused on his mental health.
'I dove head first into my health because I needed it,' Silva said. 'Not only for my career, but also for myself. People thought I was depressed. No, far from that. I love life. I didn't ask for this shit, but I had to fight it. I asked God for a cure. The psychiatrist said I had to find a way to live with it, and that panicked me. Then I realized I was asking God for the wrong thing. I was asking for a cure, and I wasn't willing to do my part? 'God, please help me do my best.''
Social media account Borrachinha Depot was the first to report that Bruno Silva is no longer on the UFC roster. It is unclear if he was released from his contract or if his contract with the UFC has expired.