Wanderlei Silva, one of the most popular figures of early mixed martial arts, received hospital treatment on Saturday after he was knocked out after the exhibition boxing match in Sao Paulo.
49-year-old Silva was disqualified in the fourth round for throwing illegal herds of her head against 50-year-old Acelino Freitas. Immediately after the fight, members of both fighter camps entered the ring and started a ugly fight. During the fight, Silva was hit with her right hand and plunged violently in the floor. The Brazilian media identified Silva’s attacker as the son of Freitas, Rafael.
Cornerman Silvy and former UFC Fabricio Werdum champion later published in social media that Silva suffered a broken nose due to a hit and received a face seams. He was released after treatment.
“Pictures are not lying,” Werdum said in social media in Portugal. “It was so bad that this guy hit Wanderlei. He hit the back of Wanderlei’s head. I don’t know if he landed immaculate, but it could be something very earnest.”
Acelino Freitas, a former boxing master, blamed the Silva corner for a fight – namely Werdum, who threw a series of blows in Freitas and other members of his team before Silva was knocked out.
“After the fight, the judge disqualified Wanderlei for the Three head, his trainer followed me and hit me,” said Freitas on social media. “Wanderlei, the fight was between you and me and she had nothing to do with the band. If you blushed me, nice, I don’t care. But unfortunately, Werdum cowardly entered the ring with my son and went through everyone. And I saw that someone hit you too.”
Neither the Brazilian National Boxing Council nor promotion, SPATEN Fight Night, announced any immediate discipline. In the statement of SPATEN Fight Night said that the events do not represent their “sporting and respect for the rules.”
The boxing match was the first Silva since he retired from MMA in 2018. He was to face another Brazilian legend of MMA Vitor Belfort, but Belfort withdrew and was replaced by Freitas in less than months. The fight is scheduled for eight rounds. Silva weighed 44 pounds heavier than Freitas for the exhibition.