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#3 Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva's story is among the most inspiring in MMA - he grew up in a Brazilian slum unable to afford martial arts lessons and went on to become who many consider the greatest mixed martial artist of all time.
Silva's impoverished childhood aside, he also hit a lot of bumps early in his MMA career. He was cut from PRIDE and almost quit the sport, but was encouraged by legend Minotauro Nogueira to keep fighting.
His perseverance paid off and Silva made history with the then longest title reign in UFC history at a mind-numbing 2457 days! The things he's done in the octagon are one-of-a-kind and for many, impossible to duplicate. What makes his legacy all the more impressive is the fact that he debuted in the UFC and ruled the Middleweight division in his mid-thirties, the twilight of most sportspersons' careers.
But Silva's fortunes have taken an unimaginably dire turn in the last few years. "The Spider" has lost 4 of his last 6 fights and now, aged 42, is looking at a possible 4-year suspension for PEDs. It seems Silva himself is implying retirement because he's ready to trade in the 4-oz gloves for 10-ouncers to achieve his longtime dream of facing another legend, Roy Jones Jr.
