Wanderlei Silva biography, career earnings and net worth

• Wanderlei Silva is a former mixed martial artist who is best known for his time with the UFC and Pride Fighting Championship
• The Brazilian last competed in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions at Bellator MMA
• Wanderlei Silva has an estimated net worth of $18 million as of 2023

For biography starters, Wanderlei Silva is a former mixed martial artist who is best known for his time with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Pride Fighting Championship. Nicknamed The Axe Murderer, Silva is one of the best MMA fighters of his generation.

Silva has set numerous record in MMA, including most title defences, longest winning streak and most knockouts in PRIDE history. The Brazilian last competed in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions at Bellator MMA. In a nutshell, we bring you an in-depth version of Wanderlei Silva biography with info on his career earnings and net worth as of 2023.

Wanderlei Silva. Photo/ The Mac Life.

Wanderlei Silva Biography

Career

Wanderlei Silva began training in Muay Thai and kickboxing at the age of 13 in Chute Boxe Academy in Curitiba. He later joined the Brazilian army and impressed with his fighting skills.

Silva was fighting bare-knuckle in his amateur days, suffering some injuries along the way that he would later recover from. The Brazilian made his professional MMA debut just a few months after his 20th birthday. He won hi first four fights before losing to Artur Mariano.

In April 1999, Wanderlei Silva earned his first title, the IVC Light Heavyweight Champion. Following his impressive performance the Brazilian earned a contract with Dana White and the UFC. On 14 April 2000, he faced Tito Ortiz for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, losing via unanimous decision.

Wanderlei Silva biography. Photo/ MMAnytt.

Wanderlei Silva left the UFC afterwards and joined Pride Fighting Championships. He went on an 18-match undefeated streak with fights against top MMA stars such as Quinton Jackson and Yuki Kondo. During his time at Pride Fighting Championships, he won PRIDE Middleweight Championship and was the winner of the 2003 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament.

Silva returned to the UFC in August 2007 and faced Chuck Liddell later that year, losing via unanimous decision. The Brazilian fighter joined Bellator MMA in March 2016 and made his debut in June 2017, losing to Chael Sonnen via unanimous decision.

On 1 September 2022, Wanderlei Silva announced his retirement from MMA while expressing his interest in boxing.

Career Earnings

When you are talented and famous like Wanderlei Silva people want to know everything about you, including your earnings. Well, that’s what we will be looking at on this part of Wanderlei Silva biography.

According to Wealthy Gorilla, Silva was one of the highest earners in mixed martial arts. At the peak of his career, he was earning more than a quarter million dollars per fight. His highest single-fight purse came from his win over Brian Stann in 2013.

Silva earned $200,000 for each of his final two professional fights that ended in losses to Chael Sonnen and Quinton Jackson at Bellator MMA.

Net Worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Wanderlei Silva has an estimated net worth of $18 million as of 2023. The Brazilian is one of the richest MMA fighters in the world. He has built his fortune by fighting against some of the best fighters in the ring.

Personal Life

To further your interest in reading Wanderlei Silva biography we take a look at his personal life on this part. Silva was born on 3 July 1976, in Curitiba, Brazil. The legendary fighter spent several years in the United States and is a citizen of both America and Brazil.

Silva’s father, Holando Pinheiro, passed away in a car accident in Brazil. Silva has been married to his wife Tea since 2002. The couple has a son named Thor while Silva also has a daughter from a previous relationship.

FAQs

Where is Wanderlei Silva from?

Curitiba, Brazil.

How old is Wanderlei Silva?

Born on 3 July 1976, Wanderlei Silva is currently 47 years old.

How tall is Wanderlei Silva? 

Wanderlei Silva is 1.78 metres tall.

What is the net worth of Wanderlei Silva?

Wanderlei Silva has an estimated net worth of $18 million.