LAS VEGAS – Uriah Hall believes he got over a meaningful career hump on Saturday when he beat Anderson Silva in the UFC on ESPN+ 39 main event.
Hall (16-9 MMA, 9-7 UFC) has long been a fighter who many think has failed to live up to his potential inside the octagon. He got a defining win over Silva (34-11 MMA, 17-7 UFC), though, when he scored a fourth-round TKO in the middleweight headliner at the UFC Apex.
Like many fighters, Hall said he was a career-long admirer of Silva. He had to separate emotion from business inside the octagon, though, and he said he now feels championship-ready.
“It would be right next to (winning the title),” Hall told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC on ESPN+ 39. “It’s kind of like that hump to say, ‘Hey, you’re here bro – you can fly.’ I’ll do it.”
Although Hall kept his composure in the fight, it wasn’t the case after he dropped and stopped Silva. All the emotions came pouring out once the referee pulled him off, then the two athletes shared a long embrace in the cage. Hall was crying after the emotional outcome, and he said a lot his reaction was born out of sad feelings.
“I felt bad,” Hall said. “Leading up to the fight, there’s a lot of emotions and we all know Anderson is a ‘G’ and what he’s done for the sport. So for me to beat him up and potentially kill him is weird. Right after the event, all the emotions just came out. Even today, I woke up like, ‘I’m fighting him? (Expletive).’ So I said I’m sorry.”
Hall has long looked to turn himself into a contender at 185 pounds, and beating Silva seems like a solid start. He now put together three consecutive wins since joining the Dallas-based Fortis MMA, and reigning champ Israel Adesanya was seated cageside for the contest. Hall said he enjoyed Adesanya’s presence, and made sure to point out the he did what Adesanya couldn’t when he fought Silva at UFC 234: Finish the fight.
“I know he danced with Anderson, and I was the guy that finished it,” Hall said. “I know there’s an age difference. … He’s the champ. He had to do what he had to do to get to where he is. There’s respect. I knew he was out here. My guess, he was trying to see holes in me or give Anderson the rematch. I thought I looked sloppy out there.”