Scott Coker benching Wanderlei Silva following concussion revelations

Former UFC middleweight Wanderlei Silva, 42, who now competes for Bellator MMA, recently went on record to share the concussion-like symptoms that have plagued him over the second half of his combat sports career.

I guess 8 of 10 is better than 12 of 15?

Not that we didn’t already know “The Axe Murderer” (and many fighters just like him) were damaged goods, thanks to a protracted career in cage fighting, but it’s much easier to ignore that stuff when nobody talks about it.

Silva, however, is singing like a canary and it may have cost him future fights with Scott Coker.

“Our objective is fighter’s safety first,” Coker told MMA Fighting. “If he’s injured or has concussion issues, we’re not gonna put him in the cage again, it just doesn’t make sense. If Wanderlei does want to come back, he’s got to get a complete clearance from the Cleveland Clinic, we’ll send him there and make sure he’s alright.”

After his concussion headlines made the rounds earlier this month, California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) echoed the sentiments shared by Coker and will require Silva to undergo a battery of brain tests before granting him a license to compete.

“I’m a fan of Wanderlei Silva. What else can he do? He’s a legend,” Coker said. “He doesn’t need to fight anymore to keep his legacy going. He fights because he wants to fight. But if he has serious issues, then he should take care of that because that’s forever and that’s something we can’t support.”

Silva (35-14-1, 1 NC), who has been knocked out seven times in his career, was last seen getting finished by longtime rival, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, at the Bellator 206 event last September.