December has arrived, and the countdown begins for Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua as the two heavyweight stars prepare to clash on December 19 in Miami. Though fans eagerly wait for the “Judgement Day” event, the co-main event between former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and ex-welterweight king Tyron Woodley is steadily building hype as well, now from Tyron Woodley’s latest claims.

Competing at around 50 presents a huge challenge, and only a few, like Anderson Silva and Yoel Romero, have managed it. Still, ‘The Spider’ has already reached the half-century mark, an age that most athletes struggle with unless something unusual is involved. Now, ahead of his boxing bout against 43-year-old Tyron Woodley, ‘The Chosen One’ seems to suggest that Silva may not be entirely natural.

Tyron Woodley’s quiet take raises questions about Anderson Silva’s legacy

On his latest appearance on MMA Fighting SBN, Woodley openly criticized Silva’s controversial past, pointing to the banned substances and PED issues that stained his legacy. Host Damon Martin praised Anderson Silva for fighting at 50 while looking “ageless”.

“How does this guy continue to do what he’s doing? He’s a real dude, and it’s like this dude does not get older. It’s crazy — maybe a little older,” Martin said.

Then, Woodley spoke volumes without saying much.

He smirked as he made it clear that he wants to give Anderson Silva “legendary status,” though Silva’s past continues to cast a shadow.

“But I’m going to just leave it there. When somebody continues to be able to compete at a certain age, you know what I mean? He has great skills and he’s a GOAT. I’m going to just leave it there,” said Woodley, speaking indirectly.

Anderson Silva enjoyed a glorious career spanning more than two decades in MMA. At age 50, he still holds global recognition for the longest title reign in UFC middleweight history.

However, his troubles began at UFC 183, ahead of his fight against Nick Diaz, when he tested positive for banned substances, including the anabolic steroid Drostanolone and a steroid metabolite, Androstane. On fight night, a post-fight drug test again detected Drostanolone metabolites, along with two benzodiazepines.

As a result, the NSAC overturned Silva’s win over Diaz and suspended him for 12 months, delivering a major blow to his legacy. Then, in 2017, the Brazilian was once again flagged for banned substances. Throughout these incidents, Silva and his team consistently defended themselves by blaming contaminated or unverified supplements.

How does Silva respond to the allegations?

Anderson Silva has achieved countless milestones in his career, but two PED allegations have also shadowed his legacy. Still, the Brazilian has consistently shared his side of the story.

The first incident occurred in 2015, when the NSAC suspended him for a year and fined him $200,000 from his fight purse. At the time, his defense team argued that he did not knowingly take steroids and claimed that the Drostanolone found in his system came from a sexual performance drug imported from Thailand.

“I never used any substances to better my performance in my fights,” he had said back then.

Anderson Silva also admitted that he took the benzodiazepines after weigh-ins to manage back pain and anxiety. Then, the second incident came in 2017, when testing detected metabolites of methyltestosterone and hydrochlorothiazide in Silva’s body. He explained that the substances came from a legal dietary supplement.

“Maybe the supplements I’m using are contaminated,” he said. The anti-doping agency accepted his explanation.

Considering all of this, what’s your take on Anderson Silva’s legacy? Share your thoughts below.