Biggest Rematch Ever?
Lately this website and these blogs have been all hockey and its July….so it’s about damn time I get some variety on here. I have been wanting to talk MMA on here a lot more and this has been something I’ve been eager to touch on for a while now. It’s finally here this weekend.
It will have been 23 months since one of the most intriguing fights of all time took place between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, a fight that Sonnen flat out dominated. Going into the 5th round there was no question that all Sonnen had to do was be as safe as possible and he would walk away with the Middleweight title in one of the most shocking upsets in UFC history. But Sonnen (to his credit), didn’t sit back and instead continued to punish Silva. And it cost him. Armbar (or choke depending on who you ask) and in the blink of an eye Silva had pulled off one of the most stunning comebacks in UFC history.
It’s an odd rivalry from a fans point of view. Silva is hated by a large majority of fight fans because he will get disinterested in some of his fights, he is extremely cocky in the ring, some think he is very fake, and the fact that nobody can beat him just makes him an easy guy to dislike. However most don’t like Sonnen either. He brings that WWE type of act in all of his interviews. Make no mistake, it is just that…an act. But it is almost like fans don’t want to buy that he is doing it all to sell a fight and instead believe that’s how he really is. Some fans know it’s an act but don’t like the extreme’s he will go to, which I disagree with but respect that opinion. But the point is that I don’t know who the majority of fans will pull for. Lots hate Silva, lots hate Sonnen.
This time however it’s more than worked. Anderson Silva is always a calm and cool guy both pre and post fight. Last week however he went right off! For those of you who missed it, here you go:
“Chael Sonnen’s going to get his ass kicked like he’s never gotten his ass kicked before. What I’m going to do inside the Octagon is something that’s going to change the image of the sport. This is going to be violent and I am sorry. I’m going to make sure that every one of his teeth are broken, that his arms are broken and his legs are broken. He’s not going to be able to walk out of the Octagon by himself. I can guarantee that. He will need a plastic surgeon afterwards. And I know that he’s listening, so the game’s over. No more shit talking. It’s on now.”
This tells me that Sonnen has likely got into Silva’s head, which is exactly what he’s wanted to do. And it just adds so much to what was already going to be an amazing fight. It’s one thing for Sonnen to be talking trash and doing what he does, but when Silva tries to trash talk back like that you KNOW this has the makings to be one of the best fights of all time.
As if that wasn’t enough, it got even more juicy at the press conference where Dana White had to keep them seperated. Now, sometimes this is just for show, but after all that has been said between these 2 fighters I really think it is legitimate hate between them.
Fights this big just don’t happen very often and it’s something very special when they do. And I really don’t know what will happen! Silva could do exactly what he claims he is going to do, he’s got that kind of talent and when he gets a fire lit under him he is unreal to watch. But on the other hand Sonnen knows EXACTLY what he is doing, and should have won their first fight. Simply cannot wait to see what happens!
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