Anderson Silva finally comments on Chael Sonnen’s positive test
When challenger Chael Sonnen beat down the Ultimate Fighting Championships’ middleweight (185lb) champion Anderson Silva for almost five rounds (UFC 117), he inspired one of the biggest mixed martial arts
stories of the year. Of course, Silva's incredible come-from-behind triangle armbar submission didn’t damper the story much.
Later, Sonnen subsequently was nailed for using performance-enhancing drugs in aftermath of the fight, adding another chapter to an already huge story. But throughout the report, Silva himself has remained
relatively silent. But now he’s given an interview with UFC Sem Limites, a Portuguese language MMA show (Silva is Brazilian), and unlike his manager, Ed Soares, Silva doesn’t seem to want to say much good about Sonnen.
“It’s sad for the sport, I think it was an unsportsmanlike attitude. But the commissions will take care of this and I hope this serves as an example to other athletes as well,” opined Silva. His manager,
Soares, had previously expressed sympathy for Sonnen, and had lamented the fact that the positive test results had tarnished Sonnen’s great performance.
Silva, with a record of 27-4, has taken his losses (none in the UFC, where he’s 12-0), but the beatdown put on him by Sonnen shocked many fans, who’d never seen the champion get rocked like that. So did Silva
consider that, as most fans do, his toughest fight ever? Not at all.
“No, my toughest fight in my career was against Hayato Sakurai in Shooto, [and] my second-toughest fight in my career was against Rich Franklin, it was a difficult fight for me. He’s a smart fighter, he knows
the correct moments to throw the strikes and where they are effective,” said Silva.
Here Silva seems to be picking favourites. He beat Sakurai in a three-round decision back in 2001. And Franklin, he destroyed utterly in his first fight to take the UFC belt. In his second fight against Franklin,
Silva had to stand and trade a bit, but badly rocked Franklin at the end of the first round. Franklin had to be saved by the bell , and was then quickly disposed of in the second round. It was hardly the fight Sonnen gave Silva. But then, Silva is known to
have a great deal of respect for Franklin, and it doesn’t seem like he has the same for Sonnen.
At 35, Silva can’t rule the division forever, and many have now pegged Sonnen to be the next champion. But not Silva.
“There are many great fighters in my weight class, in my opinion, Nathan [Marquardt] will be the next champion in my weight class. Demian [Maia] is also working his way up and could become champion in this
weight class. Palhares is also maturing a lot with his past few fights. But in my opinion, Nathan [Marquardt] will be the next champion in this weight class,” said Silva.
Marquardt already had his shot back during UFC 73, and he was crushed in a round by Silva and recently beaten by Sonnen to boot. Maia also had his shot recently at UFC 112, and was mocked relentlessly throughout
the fight, and toyed with (by Silva) over the course of a five-round decision. In other words, there’s one name that Silva is studiously avoiding mentioning.
But there was some solid news to come out of the interview. Silva, who has had two successful forays in the light heavyweight (205lb) division in the UFC, said he doesn’t have any intention at fighting at
that weight class anymore.
“Last time I spoke to [UFC president] Dana White, he told me that the only way I’d fight at LHW again is if I was to move to LHW permanently, only fighting there. So for me, those who saw [me fighting at
LHW], saw me, those who didn’t won’t get another chance to see that anymore.”
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