UFC 117 - Anderson Silva v. Chael Sonnen

[DJ]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

Highlights from the Silva/Sonnen conference call:


*Sonnen says he's coming into this fight to be the champion, not the man who beat Anderson Silva. Says he doesn't pick his fights like Silva, who likes to fight, "math teachers from Ohio and one legged Canadians. He's never fought an all-american from Oregon." Says he's proud to represent Oregon.

*Sonnen says, "I just don't like him. That's it. I'm going to take his belt on August 7 and Dana is going to fire him on August 8."


*Silva is asked if this is the most anticipated fight for him in his UFC career. Silva just says, "No."

*Sonnen says he will start looking at tape on Silva this coming weekend and says he doesn't see a major weakness anywhere. Says he's the toughest guy in the company. "There has never been a guy with earrings who will out tough me and he won't be the first."

*Sonnen says all the attention is distracting him including this media call. Says he is a partner with UFC while Anderson is an employee and that's why all the questions are coming towards him and Anderson is giving one word answers on a speakerphone.

There's more gems here:

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/...12154&zoneid=2

Now, I have my doubts as to if Chael can win this fight, but damn, this man HAS IT when it comes to cutting a promo on an opponent. I'll be rooting for him.

[sven]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

I'm so sick of hearing this ****** talk. I really wanted to root for him because I don't like Silva but I can't do it.

At this point I really don't care who wins. I just want the fight to be over with.

[redsrule]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

I'm so sick of hearing this ****** talk. I really wanted to root for him because I don't like Silva but I can't do it.

At this point I really don't care who wins. I just want the fight to be over with.

If andrson comes in to fight it will be a quick night, but who knows. Even if chael gets him down, ANderson has pretty good trianges so he still has to watch.
Chael should try to heel hook him, bet hed never see that coming.

[DTX3]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

With all the **** that Silva has gotten from the last fight and Sonnen's talk, I think Silva is going for the kill. I expect a Griffin-style asskicking. Silva by murder.

[mgoblue]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

With all the **** that Silva has gotten from the last fight and Sonnen's talk, I think Silva is going for the kill. I expect a Griffin-style asskicking. Silva by murder.

See though, people have been saying this after all his other lackluster wins...He just doesn't seem to ever bring it anymore. He's happy to point out a win once he thinks he's ahead on the cards...

[redsrule]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

With all the **** that Silva has gotten from the last fight and Sonnen's talk, I think Silva is going for the kill. I expect a Griffin-style asskicking. Silva by murder.

Imnot expecting that\, but i hope it.

[Sandman42]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

Even if Sonnen is able to take him down, I don't know how much damage Sonnen will be able to do. Silva has a good guard and while Sonnen is a strong wrestler, he isn't very good at working on the ground. He doesn't pass guard or have any submission skills.

[DJ]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

I think Sonnen will be continually active, forcing Silva to react. That's a good thing for fight fans. It may not be the best thing for Sonnen, but I get the feeling that one of his primary objectives in this fight (besides winning, obviously) is to make sure this fight isn't thrown into the Cote, Leites, Maia category. I hope he accomplishes at least that much. Just make the fight exciting and I will be happy.

[boxboy99]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

I really think Sonnen has a good shot in this fight. I hope he doesn't get distracted with his trash talking. I don't remember him being this huge trash talker in the past. Hope he doesn't get off his game with it.

[Trevelyan]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

The biggest question in my mind when it comes to Silva is his cardio. Its really never been tested, and I think that is his weakness. I think the reason he toys with guys after he gets ahead on the cards, is that he knows if he pushes too hard he'll gas and give them an opening.

This is one of the many reasons I'd love to see GSP vx Silva, GSP would wear him down and take the fight out of him, see BJ Penn.

[redsrule]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

Even if Sonnen is able to take him down, I don't know how much damage Sonnen will be able to do. Silva has a good guard and while Sonnen is a strong wrestler, he isn't very good at working on the ground. He doesn't pass guard or have any submission skills.

Plus silva has a very good triangle. , and regarding the GSP-Silva, Silva would have an advantage because gsp has to move up to 185.

[allBthere]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

The biggest question in my mind when it comes to Silva is his cardio. Its really never been tested, and I think that is his weakness. I think the reason he toys with guys after he gets ahead on the cards, is that he knows if he pushes too hard he'll gas and give them an opening.

This is one of the many reasons I'd love to see GSP vx Silva, GSP would wear him down and take the fight out of him, see BJ Penn.

I think the same...and actually to me it's less of a question and more of a belief ... I don't think Silva has good-to-great cardio period. I think it's a big reason he's so inactive. I think Sonnen will lose, but if he does win it's because he'll lay and pray until Silva is tired. The thing is, if he can take him down early it won't matter because Silva will be fresh and able to sub him,....He has to kind of survive and make Silva work (feet and ground) and mid-third round has to takedown and keep it there with somd GNP. Then dominate 4 and 5 in the same way and eek out a decision.

That's how I see Sonnen winning, however I don't see it really as a good possibility. Sonnen is another sub-par opponent imo and I'm starting to see Dana complaining as hypocritical because of who they keep feeding him.

Real fight: Sonnen gets intimidated in the first 30 seconds and convinces himself he can't win. He'll throw grade-school punches and get dropped a couple of times, then switch to wrestling-only mode where he will not be able to take Silva down. At that point he'll either be finished, or it will play out like the Maia fight.

[aholbert32]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

That's how I see Sonnen winning, however I don't see it really as a good possibility. Sonnen is another sub-par opponent imo and I'm starting to see Dana complaining as hypocritical because of who they keep feeding him.

.

I'm so sick of this. WHO ELSE IS DANA SUPPOSED TO FEED HIM!? The guy is the middleweight champion of the world. Dana brought in Belfort as a challenge and Vitor got injured. So he went to the next two highest ranked middleweights in Maia and Sonnen. It would have been Marquardt but he lost to Sonnen.

There is no one else. GSP doesnt want to move up. Silva refused to fight Machida at 205 because they are friends and Dana would have been a fool to let Silva pick off top contenders at 205 when it was a realistic possibility that Silva would never fight for the title. Now that Rua is the LHW Champ, Silva is demanding that Rua meet him at 185.

This isnt Dana's fault. He has a champion who refuses to be dominant when he faces competition thats "beneath" him and who refuses to drop the belt and move to another division with better competition.

[redsrule]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

I'm so sick of this. WHO ELSE IS DANA SUPPOSED TO FEED HIM!? The guy is the middleweight champion of the world. Dana brought in Belfort as a challenge and Vitor got injured. So he went to the next two highest ranked middleweights in Maia and Sonnen. It would have been Marquardt but he lost to Sonnen.

There is no one else. GSP doesnt want to move up. Silva refused to fight Machida at 205 because they are friends and Dana would have been a fool to let Silva pick off top contenders at 205 when it was a realistic possibility that Silva would never fight for the title. Now that Rua is the LHW Champ, Silva is demanding that Rua meet him at 185.

This isnt Dana's fault. He has a champion who refuses to be dominant when he faces competition thats "beneath" him and who refuses to drop the belt and move to another division with better competition.

Exactly, 100% agree with your post. Dana has nobody else to give him until Vitor is healthy, and i honestly dont think vitor will be a big challenge either. The 185 Lb division is the weakest in the UFC but has the best p4p fighter in the world as its champion. And at 205, if he wins the title,he might move back down if lyoto got a title shot.

[allBthere]

Re: Not Only is Anderson Silva Fighting Chael Sonnen at UFC 117... It's the Main Even

I'm so sick of this. WHO ELSE IS DANA SUPPOSED TO FEED HIM!? The guy is the middleweight champion of the world. Dana brought in Belfort as a challenge and Vitor got injured. So he went to the next two highest ranked middleweights in Maia and Sonnen. It would have been Marquardt but he lost to Sonnen.

There is no one else. GSP doesnt want to move up. Silva refused to fight Machida at 205 because they are friends and Dana would have been a fool to let Silva pick off top contenders at 205 when it was a realistic possibility that Silva would never fight for the title. Now that Rua is the LHW Champ, Silva is demanding that Rua meet him at 185.

This isnt Dana's fault. He has a champion who refuses to be dominant when he faces competition thats "beneath" him and who refuses to drop the belt and move to another division with better competition.

I'd rather he fought Marquardt. I know Chael beat him, but I don't care. Who would have been mad other than Sonnen and a few supporters? Part of the problem is the match making leading up to title shots. At the moment the UFC is just skipping over so many matches that are better for fans to see.

And if Silva is going to continue to be that way..what can I say? At least make exciting fights, and stop with the one-dimensional challengers who are either bjj experts or wrestling all-americans. I don't really care to see it, or at least care to see it anywhere close to the same level as a more complete guy like Nate.

I'm saying, who cares if they step over someone who's "in line for the title" ? Like Thales Leites...where is he now? If they skipped him, and he got mad...who cares? Same with Sonnen. Would anyone really care? The guy either loses in a submission or wins crappy decisions.

I'm asking you personally, would you have kicked up a fuss if Nate was given the shot and they ignored Sonnen?
Sonnen got sub'd by Maia, then won 3 decisions in a row, before Nate's loss to Sonnen, he had 3 ko's in a row.

whatever...the whole situation kind of sucks imo.