Getty

UFC Veteran Released After Skull-Crushing KO

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Prince Horton | Last updated May 15, 2025 10:24 AM ET

As the sun sets on UFC 315, the fallout begins to unfold. With a packed Bell Centre crowd and high-stakes bouts in the rearview, Dana White and the UFC brass are now turning their focus to the future—and that includes making painful roster decisions. In a sport as cutthroat as mixed martial arts, few fighters are safe. Today, we learned that one more veteran did not survive the roster shake-up.

According to Borrachinha Depot , middleweight contender Bruno Silva, known by his nickname ‘Blindado’, has officially been removed from the UFC roster. The 35-year-old Brazilian fighter, competing in the 185-pound division, last entered the Octagon on May 10 at UFC 315. It was a night to forget. Facing Canadian powerhouse Marc-André Barriault, Silva suffered one of the most brutal defeats of his career.

Wow slow motion reveals that Bruno Silva got his skull cracked on that elbow by Marc Andre Barriault

pic.twitter.com/7SpZhXHIyv
— Erich Richter (@erichterrr) May 11, 2025

After weighing in one pound heavy and forfeiting part of his purse, Silva was knocked unconscious by a barrage of elbows just 87 seconds into Round 1. The impact left him motionless on the canvas and forced officials to stretcher him out of the cage before he was transported to a hospital for evaluation. The knockout was shared widely online, including by journalist Erich Richter on X.

It’s a harsh end to what began as a promising run. Silva stormed into the UFC in June 2021 with a first-round KO of Wellington Turman. He followed that with electric wins—and bonuses—over Andrew Sanchez, Jordan Wright, and Brad Tavares.

With five straight losses now behind him, it remains unclear what’s next for ‘Blindado’. A move to another promotion, like PFL or BKFC, isn’t off the table. But one thing is certain: his days in the UFC Octagon are over, at least for now.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: