Sonnen gets the rematch [Archive]

Impact!

08-24-2010, 11:58 AM

Despite his loss at UFC 117, Chael Sonnen has earned an immediate rematch with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

UFC president Dana White, who's busy with a final media blitz for this week's UFC 118 event in Boston, today confirmed the plans while on ESPN's "SportsCenter," though a date has not been determined for the rematch.

Sonnen dominated four and a half rounds of the Aug. 7 fight before Silva scored a come-from-behind triangle-choke victory in the fifth and final round.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported immediately after the Oakland, Calif. fight, White acknowledged fans' desire for the rematch, but initially he was noncommittal about Silva (27-4 MMA, 12-0 UFC) vs. Sonnen (25-11-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) II.

"It's definitely a rematch I think people are going to want to see," White said after the event "Looking at Twitter, everybody is saying, 'Rematch. Rematch.' We'll see what happens. Vitor is waiting to fight right now, too. We could do the rematch with Chael, but we'll see what happens. We'll see how it goes."

White's initial reluctance may have been in part due to Vitor Belfort, who was slated to fight Silva until an injury opened the door for Sonnen. Belfort is expected to fight in November, but he's no longer fighting for a title.

Sonnen, of course, heavily hyped the UFC 117 bout with an endless stream of trash-talk. Many fans snickered at Sonnen's bold predictions of victory – Silva, after all, had soundly defeated the 11 previous opponents the UFC put before him – but according to CompuStrike, Sonnen scored 51 strikes to Silva's two in the first round. And through three rounds, he had opened a 218-to-11 gap.

Sonnen continued the lopsided beatdown until the fifth round, when Silva capitalized on one of his opponent's few mistakes and secured a fight-ending triangle choke at the 3:10 mark of the final round.

The rematch is now expected to take place later this year or in early 2012.

I assume they mean early 2011. Also, awesome.

The Show Off

08-24-2010, 12:30 PM

Sonnen should fight Vitor Belfort for the right to face Anderson Silva again. Immediate rematches should happen very rarely and if they so should happen only in the event of a questionable decision victory.

I recognize that Sonnen dominated the entire fight but he still got stopped and since he got stopped he should have to earn his way back to the championship shot.

Inadequacy

08-24-2010, 04:13 PM

Show Off's got it

ImpactPlayer365

08-24-2010, 04:39 PM

Yeah i agree with the rematches only for close decision fights. Either way though this will be a high ordered PPV. Everyone still has it in their mind that Sonnen can beat Anderson. Hopefully Belfort demolishes Okami and he gets his fight that he's been wanting.

Funky Fly

08-24-2010, 05:34 PM

Sonnen should fight Vitor Belfort for the right to face Anderson Silva again. Immediate rematches should happen very rarely and if they so should happen only in the event of a questionable decision victory.

I recognize that Sonnen dominated the entire fight but he still got stopped and since he got stopped he should have to earn his way back to the championship shot.

Yup. Belfort's probably pissed. Hopefully Silva shows up healthy, so it's 1 round the Matrix followed by a ridiculous KO.

weather vane

08-24-2010, 11:06 PM

Fuck Vitor. Sonnen deserves the rematch and he is going to win.

RP

08-24-2010, 11:08 PM

What the fuck has Belfort done to deserve a match against Silva again? Beat Rich Franklin? Yah get the fuck out Vitor. Sonnen gets this rematch easily.

RP

08-24-2010, 11:08 PM

If not for his performance against Silva, he deserves it for selling the living shit out of that fight and backing up every single word. I cant wait for him to sell this one.

Funky Fly

08-24-2010, 11:24 PM

Fuck Vitor. Sonnen deserves the rematch and he is going to win.

If not for his performance against Silva, he deserves it for selling the living shit out of that fight and backing up every single word. I cant wait for him to sell this one.

He did get stopped though. I sincerely doubt Sonnen will shit talk nearly as much, considering he beat on a guy with a busted rib for 5 rounds and still got tapped out. When they fight again, if Silva is healthy it will be a pretty different story.

The Naitch

08-24-2010, 11:31 PM

Belfort no longer gets his title shot? That's bullshit :mad:

Funky Fly

08-24-2010, 11:38 PM

Truth be told he didn't earn it at 185. He beat the piss out of Franklin at 195. Fact is though, at the time there weren't any credible contenders who hadn't already gotten a shot till Sonnen stepped up. Belfort was capable, hadn't gotten a shot yet and had just KOd the previous champ. Made sense at the time. Then he got injured. Then Sonnen beat Marquardt.

Hopefully Belfort gets the winner, because outside of this rematch, there is still no one credible enough who hasn't had a shot yet. Maybe Belcher if you feel like seeing a murder on tv.

The Naitch

08-25-2010, 12:08 AM

I thought Belcher is out indefinitely? Like career ending. Torn retina or something

Funky Fly

08-25-2010, 01:59 AM

Hadn't heard.Oh well then. Sonnen then Belfort, I guess.

Impact!

08-25-2010, 03:06 AM

Nah Belcher had/has a detached Retina. It's certainly dangerous, but he's expected back by end of the year/early next year.

And really, besides Sonnen who else is in line? Belfort still needs a fight at middleweight (in the UFC), Marquardt, Palhares, Maia, Okami, Wanderlei, Bisping, Leben, Belcher all need at least 1 or 2 big wins to be lined up.

Sonnen is really still the main contender.

Funky Fly

08-25-2010, 06:46 AM

How many UFC fights has Paul Harris had?

The Mask

08-25-2010, 07:36 AM

i am fine with sonnen getting the rematch. at least you know it's a fight that isn't going to suck balls.

NoJabbaNoBogRoll

08-25-2010, 08:07 AM

In my expert opinion, Sonnen needs to work on reaching half-guard, and pounding from there.

The Mask

08-25-2010, 08:18 AM

i think he just needs to work on the pounding thing full stop.

Impact!

08-25-2010, 08:26 AM

How many UFC fights has Paul Harris had?

Bout 4 I think, only loss was to Hendo.

The Show Off

08-25-2010, 12:09 PM

If not for his performance against Silva, he deserves it for selling the living shit out of that fight and backing up every single word. I cant wait for him to sell this one.

No doubt he sold the PPV. He somehow made Anderson Silva a sympathetic character in many people's eyes by making himself look like a total douche bag. He was the draw for that PPV because so many people wanted to see him get destroyed. That's great classic promotion right there, Sonnen is no idiot. He dominated Silva for 22 minutes and that cannot be ignored.

That all being said he didn't back up every single word. He backed up half of his words. He put Anderson in a fight and he put him on the ground. But Sonnen said he'd win the title, he said he was the best in the world, and he said he would retire Anderson Silva... not one of those are true. Anderson tapped him and that's the bottom line. Anderson was and is the better fighter because he won the fight and finished his opponent.

That's not to say that Vitor Belfort "earned" a shot either, because he didn't. That's why I thought it made absolute sense to do Belfort/Sonnen in November or December to set up a match against Silva next year.

Hell, when Rampage lost to Forrest Griffin in a controversial decision he didn't get an immediate rematch. He actually never got another shot at the championship after winning like 3 straight or something.

The Mask

08-25-2010, 01:37 PM

ufc is weird like that. sonnen somehow makes himself look like the dickhole when quite a few people were mad at silva, and then in the fight he turns everybody around onto his side cause he was great.

The Naitch

08-25-2010, 01:44 PM

Hell, when Rampage lost to Forrest Griffin in a controversial decision he didn't get an immediate rematch. He actually never got another shot at the championship after winning like 3 straight or something.

I thought Rampage wasn't concerned with a rematch, he said he wanted the Rashad fight more than anything

alvarado52

08-25-2010, 02:58 PM

Belfort got his title shot based on his name. Dude didnt even fight at 185 when he returned to the UFC. If you ask me, he should beat a couple people at the weight before being considered for the weight classes title.

alvarado52

08-25-2010, 03:01 PM

Hell, when Rampage lost to Forrest Griffin in a controversial decision he didn't get an immediate rematch. He actually never got another shot at the championship after winning like 3 straight or something.

Maybe im remembering wrong, but wasnt Rampage getting his title shot against Rashad when he had the title, but got injured and replaced with Machida?

The Show Off

08-25-2010, 03:19 PM

Maybe im remembering wrong, but wasnt Rampage getting his title shot against Rashad when he had the title, but got injured and replaced with Machida?

True but by that point he had already beaten Wanderlei Silva and Keith Jardine (back when Jardine was still legit). So he had fight two matches before he was even offered a title shot when the match that he lost was a really close decision. Not to mention that at that time Rampage was a former champion which should mean better consideration for a re-match.

This is all just talk it's not as if Sonnen getting a rematch is a tragedy or something. No one currently deserves the shot more it's just I would have rathered Belfort/Sonnen.

Funky Fly

08-25-2010, 03:40 PM

i am fine with sonnen getting the rematch. at least you know it's a fight that isn't going to suck balls.

I highly doubt it's going to go the same way again if Silva's healthy next time.

Nark Order

08-25-2010, 03:52 PM

My sister could beat Keith Jardine on accident.

The Mask

08-25-2010, 05:18 PM

I highly doubt it's going to go the same way again if Silva's healthy next time.

well i'm assuming sonnen's still going to take the fight to him, so whoever wins it will still be amazing.

weather vane

08-25-2010, 06:58 PM

Sonnen is going to win.

IC Champion

08-25-2010, 07:02 PM

I highly doubt it's going to go the same way again if Silva's healthy next time.

I believe it will, Silvas injury wasn't bad enough to warrant the doctors from stopping the fight, so just how injured Silva was has to be questioned. Besides, unless Silva is able to become a world class wrestler in 6 months, it's going to be more of the same.

The Show Off

08-25-2010, 07:04 PM

I believe it will, Silvas injury wasn't bad enough to warrant the doctors from stopping the fight, so just how injured Silva was has to be questioned. Besides, unless Silva is able to become a world class wrestler in 6 months, it's going to be more of the same.

Yeah and unless Sonnen learns to defend a submission in 6 months he'll be tapped by Silva again.

The Mask

08-25-2010, 07:24 PM

sonnen just needs to learn how to actually do... pretty much anything once the fight gets to the ground. or like be willing to commit a bit more to punches, like how shogun did in fight #2 with machida, but on the ground instead.

IC Champion

08-25-2010, 07:28 PM

Im going to venture to say that submission defense against someone like Silva will be easier to learn that trying to stuff Sonnens takedowns. All Sonnen has to do it get on top, and limit his activity, and putting himself on vulnerable positions. It's not like Sonnen didnt know how to ecsape the traingle, he just waited too long before trying to get out. While it was a nice transition and submission on Silvas part, I don't see him pulling a horse shoe out of his ass this time. Silva is getting old, and he looked it against Sonnen.

IC Champion

08-25-2010, 07:28 PM

sonnen just needs to learn how to actually do... pretty much anything once the fight gets to the ground. or like be willing to commit a bit more to punches, like how shogun did in fight #2 with machida, but on the ground instead.

Sonnen doesn't have that kind of power though.

IC Champion

08-25-2010, 07:29 PM

And it was his comitment to punches that got him tapped.

The Show Off

08-25-2010, 07:36 PM

Im going to venture to say that submission defense against someone like Silva will be easier to learn that trying to stuff Sonnens takedowns. All Sonnen has to do it get on top, and limit his activity, and putting himself on vulnerable positions. It's not like Sonnen didnt know how to ecsape the traingle, he just waited too long before trying to get out. While it was a nice transition and submission on Silvas part, I don't see him pulling a horse shoe out of his ass this time. Silva is getting old, and he looked it against Sonnen.

Sonnen has known his weakness was BJJ his whole career and he has yet to improve it, what makes anyone think it'll change in 6 months?

alvarado52

08-26-2010, 01:22 AM

Im going to venture to say that submission defense against someone like Silva will be easier to learn that trying to stuff Sonnens takedowns. All Sonnen has to do it get on top, and limit his activity, and putting himself on vulnerable positions. It's not like Sonnen didnt know how to ecsape the traingle, he just waited too long before trying to get out. While it was a nice transition and submission on Silvas part, I don't see him pulling a horse shoe out of his ass this time. Silva is getting old, and he looked it against Sonnen.
You know, I think its interesting when people bring up sonnens sub d, because from what I saw silva was looking for a sub almost the entire match and couldn't get it.I'd say that's some decent defense.

IC Champion

08-26-2010, 01:23 AM

Sonnen has known his weakness was BJJ his whole career and he has yet to improve it, what makes anyone think it'll change in 6 months?

Well Sonnen looked pretty good defending against Silva's submissions for 33 minutes. I guess if he just laid and prayed he wouldn't have to worry, maybe that's his plan next time.

IC Champion

08-26-2010, 01:29 AM

I mean Sonnen is a wrestler who has been tapped out by some of the best BJJ practioners in the world, guys like Maia, Sobral, Paulo Filho, Jeremy Horn. While submissions may be a weakness, I don't think it's as big as some people believe it to be.

Funky Fly

08-26-2010, 02:39 AM

I believe it will, Silvas injury wasn't bad enough to warrant the doctors from stopping the fight, so just how injured Silva was has to be questioned. Besides, unless Silva is able to become a world class wrestler in 6 months, it's going to be more of the same.

Injured ribs apparently. Did you see his fight with Forest Griffin? Completely different. No head movement at all during the fight with Sonnen. If Silva's back in shape, Sonnen won't be able to shoot in because he'll be too busy avoiding all kinds of stand up hell being thrown at him.

To me, the difference in performance between Silva's last 2 fights was just like the difference in performance between Nog vs Couture and Nog vs Mir.

Funky Fly

08-26-2010, 02:42 AM

Not taking anything away from Sonnen, as I'm surprised he dominated as much as he did. I just don't think he has the tools to finish the fight if they are both healthy.

The Show Off

08-26-2010, 11:14 AM

I mean Sonnen is a wrestler who has been tapped out by some of the best BJJ practioners in the world, guys like Maia, Sobral, Paulo Filho, Jeremy Horn. While submissions may be a weakness, I don't think it's as big as some people believe it to be.

Well, it cost him the UFC Middleweight Championship so I think it's a pretty big weakness. It's a pretty big weakness when the guy he's trying to take the title from is a BJJ black belt under the Nogueiras. It's a pretty big problem when more than 70% of his losses come from submission.

I hate to bring this up because I feel it belittles what Sonnen accomplished against Silva, but anyone that watched that fight could tell that Silva wasn't the same fighter right off the bat. He has no head movement he had no foot work and he was just inviting Sonnen to hit him. It was plain as day that one of three things were wrong at the beginning of that fight...

A) Silva was being his arrogant self and allowed Sonnen to tag him to prove some sort of stupid point and Sonnen hit harder than Silva was anticipating. It looked like Silva was dogging it for the first two rounds and then by the time he decided to rev himself back up Sonnen had grown in confidence enough to continue domination until he eventually got caught.

B) Silva's rib injury was legit and that's why he had no head movement and no footwork and that's why he seemed to not be able to work submissions to completion at the beginning of the fight because he was to injured to throw those legs up until Chael was tired enough at the end of the fight.

C) Between the Maia fight and the Sonnen fight Silva has gotten old and past his prime and that's why he lacked any kind of head movement and footwork.

It has to be one of those three because you cannot deny that Silva was fighting very diffrently before he was even touched by Sonnen. His striking was bad and his defensive striking was worse two things that Anderson has always been world class at.

Savio

08-26-2010, 11:45 AM

I choose B

Funky Fly

08-27-2010, 12:45 AM

That's the thing. Sonnen shouldn't have been able to get near Silva without getting tagged. Might have been able to get a takedown or 2, but not without multiple failed attempts and not without eating a shot on the way in.

The Mask

08-27-2010, 07:40 AM

i think it was just a very different fight for silva. he's not come up against wrestlers a lot, and his opponants are usually way more reluctant to engage. sonnen dictated the pace too.

The Show Off

08-27-2010, 12:09 PM

i think it was just a very different fight for silva. he's not come up against wrestlers a lot, and his opponants are usually way more reluctant to engage. sonnen dictated the pace too.

That may be true but you can't deny that Anderson looked slow on his feet.

I agree that Sonnen played the most aggressive game against Silva since Leben but Sliva had nothing standing. In the first round he actually dropped his hands and appeared to let Sonnen tag him in the face. You have to be honest and say that that just doesn't happen to Silva and Sonnen's striking isn't so great that he can get a shot through like where so many better strikers failed.

I go with my post above, it has to be one of those three reasons above that Silva looked so bad. I'm willing to accept any of those three, beyond that I simply cannot believe that just being agressive with a shot shut down Silva's defence, it's just illogical. Dan Henderson was aggressive with a shot and he got caught coming in. Leben was agressive with strikes and he got caught coming in. Marquardt was aggressive with a shot and got caught coming in. Forrest with aggressive with strikes and he got caught coming in. Rich Frianklin got agressive and he got caught twice.

Sonnen, I'll admit, has better wrestling credentials than any of those guys but not so good that Silva would put his hands to his side and let Sonnen sock him in the face. That just wouldn't happen. Either Silva was dogging it for some reason, he was hurt, or he's suddenly past his prime.

The Mask

08-27-2010, 12:25 PM

i wondered about that. i kinda thought he was gonna dodge them like against griffin or he was just showing sonnen he could take his punches as a mind game or something, but really i don't know. i imagine the second fight will either get finished sooner by silva, via submission, or sonnen will lay and pray the last couple of rounds if he's ahead.

Crimson

09-15-2010, 08:21 PM

weather vane

09-15-2010, 08:43 PM

lol Chael is mintttttt

The Mask

09-15-2010, 09:18 PM

i watched the fight again last night and was heartbroken for him all over again

Krimzon7

09-15-2010, 09:45 PM

He did get stopped though. I sincerely doubt Sonnen will shit talk nearly as much, considering he beat on a guy with a busted rib for 5 rounds and still got tapped out. When they fight again, if Silva is healthy it will be a pretty different story.

Are you crazy? Sonnen was talking shit at the post fight press conference! He'll hype the shit out of this fucking fight. and you should just check out his Q and A

Funky Fly

09-16-2010, 02:13 PM

Hilarious stuff, but I'd put money on all the guys he's talking shit about murdering him except Bisping.

Krimzon7

09-16-2010, 04:10 PM

Hilarious stuff, but I'd put money on all the guys he's talking shit about murdering him except Bisping.
and that's the beauty of Chael Sonnen... he doesn't care WHO you're betting on...as long as you're betting!

Personally, I've got about 23:35 minutes of evidence that says you shouldn't bet against him.

Funky Fly

09-16-2010, 04:36 PM

All I'm saying is we will see. Funny thing about when he brought up Okami, Anderson lost that fight via DQ because he kicked Okami in the face while they were both down. Okami was in his guard and Silva Gumbied his leg back and actually hit an upkick from that position. Also, Silva's been trying to avenge that loss, but Okami, who up until recently was on a win streak, kept getting passed over for title shots because he's boring.

Reavant

09-16-2010, 04:59 PM

unless hes going after silva he usually doesnt mean what he says.... coleman (a friend of his) called him out asking sonnen why he would call him a bum, to which sonnen said "why not" i guess both had a good laugh afterwords.

RP

09-16-2010, 05:35 PM

Loved it all, but Brock would rip his head off where he stands tbh.

Crimson

09-16-2010, 07:45 PM

I'm sure GSP and Brock would both handle Sonnen. But he's still entrtaining and should be encouraged to keep talking :D

The Mask

09-16-2010, 08:07 PM

gsp vs sonnen would be interesting. so would gsp vs silva tbh, now that it seems anderson isn't great against top class wrestlers.

Loose Cannon

09-16-2010, 08:52 PM

lol "I'm Brock Lesnar and I have a $5 haircut and this knife tatooed on my chest"

Johnny McNasty

09-17-2010, 07:10 PM