Is This The End For "The Spider"?

By Muk

​Earlier this month, it became clear that Anderson Silva did in fact fail his drug test from October, which pulled him from his fight with Kelvin Gastelum, and now has him facing a potential 4-year ban.
 
At 42 years old, this may be the end for Silva, even if his suspension is reduced in some fashion, and his legacy is now surrounded by question marks.
 
Once hailed as the greatest mixed martial artist of all-time, Silva’s last 5 and ½ years have been nothing short of difficult. After getting knocked out in a huge upset by Chris Weidman in July of 2013, he lost in the rematch in December of that due to his leg snapping in half. Not ideal. Since falling from the title conversation, he has lost twice, had a win overturned due to a failed PED test, a controversial win, and now, another failed drug test.
 
While it’s been noted that Silva’s representative’s are pushing for a reduced suspension, claiming his first test wasn’t under the UFC’s current anti-doping policy, but I truthfully don’t see The Spider getting less than two years. The thought of him coming back at what would likely be 45 year’s old, seems to be a bad decision.
 
Silva’s reign over the UFC’s Middleweight Division was as impressive as anything the sport has ever seen, with a win streak of 16 fights, including 10 consecutive title defenses. Silva defeated any and all types of fighters, in any and all styles of fashion. The Spider was like nothing anyone had ever seen, dominating every aspect of his fights, and making world class athletes and fighters look foolish night in and night out.
 
If this is the end for Anderson “The Spider” Silva, I think he resume speaks for itself, and while we will never know if he juiced for his whole career or truly any of the details behind all of his failed tests, he will still go down as one of the greatest mixed martial artist’s ever, and he will forever be on the MMA Mount Rushmore.
 
Feel free to fall down the rabbit hole of Anderson Silva’s career highlights, because we may never see highlights like these ever again.