Biography
is a Brazilian former national basketball player for the Brazilian national basketball team and later mixed martial artist and professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Giant Silva. A super-heavyweight wrestler, he was both a face and a heel in several professional wrestling promotions. Known for his great height, in 2014 he was described as the sixth tallest professional wrestler in history After his career in NJPW, Silva was signed by Dream Stage Entertainment and competed in Pride Fighting Championships, a defunct mixed martial arts organization based in Japan. Although at one time he trained with members of the Gracie family, most notably Ricardo Gracie and Ralek Gracie, he only had a crash course in Brazilian jiu-jitsu when he had his debut in Pride Shockwave 2003 against 250lbs Heath Herring. Silva led the more experienced fighter to the third round, absorbing repeated leg kicks and taking Herring down once, but Heath capitalized and reversed it into a rear naked choke for the win.
In April 2004, Silva took part in the Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament, whose first round saw him facing sumo wrestler Henry "Sentoryu" Miller, only 85lbs lighter. Sentoryu accomplished a takedown on Silva and attacked his guard, only for Silva's height to neutralize his ground and pound attempts, as the sumo did not reach to his head. Miller finally got side control, but then Silva reversed him with a Kimura lock and made him tap out. The pro wrestler then advanced to the second round, being pitted against former world judo champion Naoya Ogawa, who won the fight by takedown and ground and pound TKO.
Silva would then face another professional wrestler, Pro Wrestling NOAH's Takashi Sugiura, who used his wrestling acumen to take him down and land knees and punches for the stoppage. The match had some controversy, as a brawl erupted after the bout and Silva had to be restrained by several ring crew men.
On December 31, 2006 Giant Silva finally faced a heavier opponent, the former Yokozona Akebono Tarō, at K-1 Premium 2006. The sumo clinched Silva and pressed him against the ropes, until Silva broke the hug and transitioned a Kimura lock in way to the ground, submitting Akebono for his second and last win.
