Wanderlei Silva’s re-hearing with the Nevada Athletic Commission is scheduled for Nov. 30, but it might not matter in terms of his career. The former PRIDE and UFC star has no intentions to compete again.
Banned from the sport and fined $70,000 after fleeing from a random drug test ahead of his scheduled UFC 175 clash with Chael Sonnen in 2014 — and later admitting he has used banned diuretics before the test he never participated — Silva has been battling the suspension since his license was revoked by the commission.
Despite his efforts to cancel the lifetime ban and fine, "The Axe Murderer" isn’t planning a return to mixed martial arts — at least as of now, says Silva’s longtime MMA coach Rafael Cordeiro.
"I think he doesn’t wanna fight anymore," Cordeiro told Ariel Helwani on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. "I think he wants to stay out for a while, just do seminars all over the world. I think his career is… he doesn’t wanna fight anymore.
"It’s just my opinion. I don’t know the future. But, to be honest with you, when I look Wanderlei now, he wants to spread the word about martial arts. I think that’s what he’s looking for now."
Silva, who announced his retirement right after the controversy surrounding the random test became public, last competed in March of 2013, improving his MMA record to 32-12-1-1NC with an epic second-round knockout victory over Brian Stann in Japan.