UFC 148: Bettors guide to the main event
Written by Uncle Louie (follow him on twitter @gamblou)
Chael Sonnen
Sonnen’s strengths are his dynamic wresting abilities, his iron beard, heavy hands, and bad intentions; all weapons used to dominate his competition in the middleweight division. Those tools allowed Chael to wipe the floor with Silva in their first fight albeit only for 22 minutes and thirty some seconds before the guile of Silva submitted Sonnen ohhhhh so late in that fifth round. We have mentioned before our belief that world class wrestlers have the ability to deal with and overcome dominant Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters in many instances and Chael Sonnen personifies these traits. Sonnen, a world class wrestler (and lousy speaker) surprised an under prepared Silva in their first fight with furious fists and numerous take downs which resulted in a dominant ground and pound game that honestly overwhelmed Silva (who fought with injured ribs). Since that fight, Sonnen has been publicly haranguing and needling Silva, his camp, his home town, and his country. Sonnen’s been unrelenting in his criticism of Anderson and his countrymen commenting that it was actually he Sonnen, that won their fight and that it’s his belt that Anderson is wearing (neither of which we argue with). This is clearly Chael’s way of trying to gain an edge and intimidate Silva as best he can. Remember enthusiasts, there is more to a fight than just punches, feints and conditioning. Since fighting began with cavemen there’s always a mental warfare component that manifests itself in fights of this magnitude. Many may feel that Sonnen is mastering the verbal warfare but what will such tactics really deliver? Will Chael really get Anderson to arrive so hot and bothered that he forgets his legendary calm and cool and reverts to some maniacal manner? C’mon Man.
We must mention that after the first fight with Silva, Chael Sonnen tested positive for a ‘steroid substance’ yet later was cleared of that charge. For this fight Sonnen again will be allowed to use steroids because of an apparent lack of testosterone his body naturally produces. We asked Dr. Johnny Benjamin MD about this and he did substantiate the steroid presence by explaining that “The NSAC gave him (Sonnen) a TUE a few weeks back.” This is an incredible advantage and one we find unfair to say the least. Even Anderson asked that Sonnen not be allowed to use steroids for the fight which shows that the issue is a real tangible concern. I myself cannot figure how one fighter is allowed to use ‘roids and another is not. The UFC really needs to address this issue just as Dr. Benjamin has requested over time on Twitter and elsewhere!
Anyway, Sonnen says he rides into the sunset if he losses but hat statement is a bit misleading. Make no mistake about this; Chael Sonnen is a future MMA announcing superstar. Chael knows that if he fails at this second try for the title he will be recognized as the man that took Anderson to the limit and he rolls (with incredible street cred) into the UFC studios for what will be a long and outstanding carreer. Chael Sonnen is no dummy, he knows exactly what he is doing and he is a man with balls the size of Jupiter. Sonnen knows that all of this trash talk and mockery of Silva comes down to 7Pm on 7/7 when he has to actually walk into the same ring as the baddest man on the planet whom he’s chided and insulted for two years. Chael’s face will tell it all when he strides towards that Octagon and while his face may hide the fear, his body is going to taste the ramifications that his words have inspired for the last 24 months. Simply put, there’s gunna be an old fashioned whuppin tonight and I’m not sure Chael’s body can cash a check his mouth wrote.
Anderson Silva
Silva, simply put, is the baddest fighting man the Lord has ever put on this Earth. Anderson Silva is a black belt superior in Muay Thai striking with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who by the age of 18 had also obtained a black belt in Tae kwon do. Silva holds a black belt in Judo and a yellow belt in Capoeira! Shit the only belt he does not have is Ol’ Uncle Louie’s which would fit around him a couple of times (or more)! Anderson Silva won his last 14 fights in a row and defended his title 9 times consecutively with his most recent victories coming over Okami and in a domination of Belfort (first bout with Sonnen was three defenses ago). Silva speaks with a touch of a high voice and overall is a humble and contrite man that carries himself in modest fashion. Please though, I beg you please, do not take his humble demeanor for weakness in any way. Silva has been blessed with dynamic God given talents and those skills allowed him to rise from the poverty in Brazil to become the country’s most notable hero and ultimate role model. Silva’s skills have dominated the likes of world class MMA fighters with the names of Belfort, Maia, Griffin, Marquardt, Leben, Franklin, Sonnen and Henderson with a few more journeymen sprinkled in between. Anderson Silva enters this fight knowing Sonnen’s prowess and power (albeit enhanced by his utilization of steroids) and will not be surprised by anything Chael presents this time around. Silva, having endured two years of mockery and demoralization by Chael, is now in the best shape both mentally and physically of his life and will arrive to the Octagon Saturday night with a singularity of purpose….a purpose Chael has forced him to temper in blood, sweat, and determination over the course of the last two freaking years of insults, mockery, and condemnation! Deep in his soul Silva feels that his people and his Country have been wronged by Chael and it is Anderson’s pride of country that’s on the line in this fight. Take it to the bank that you’ll see a complete and dominant effort from the Brazilian hero.
The Fight:
Let’s make no mistake about this fight fans; when we see Chael Sonnen walk into the Octagon at the beginning of this match we will see a man with tremendous intestinal fortitude. Sonnen, for two years, has urinated on Silva’s name, reputation, team, fighting style, country in every way possible. Sonnen has given Silva (who had underestimated Sonnen in their first fight) the incentive not only to arrive at this rematch better prepared, better conditioned, and better equiped but with specific focus and determination to fight for all of Brazil. Silva underestimated Chael the first time around and paid the price for it.
Silva comes armed with 110% focus and drive to destroy Chael tonight and unfortunately for Chael, his lip, chiding, and verbal demoralization of Silva provides Anderson with a singularity of purpose. Anderson Silva will destroy Chael and my hope is that the ref understands he will be needed to make a conscientious decision to stop this fight before Chael is seriously hurt. I see this exactly the same way I saw the fight in 1965 between Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson when Ali defended his title for the second time. Floyd refused call Ali by his new Muslim adopted name and Patterson continued to insult the dynamically talented Ali by continuously referring to him as not only Cassius Clay but as being un American because of his affiliation with the Nation of Islam. Ali was infuriated by what he thought were insults from one black man to another (something quite distasteful to any African American man back in the turbulent 60’s). Ali trained for that fight like no other because his inner being and religious beliefs were questioned by an inferior. Chael has done this exact same thing to Silva in building up to tonight’s main event. That night in ‘65 Ali cut Floyd to ribbons and punished Patterson into the late rounds refusing to knock Floyd out so he could administer more and more punishment to an over-matched opponent. Through it all the front rows could hear Ali screaming at Floyd while he was bombarding him with jabs, crosses and straight rights, “What’s my name”? “What’s my Dad Gum name”? In much the same manner as with Ali and Patterson in 1965 we see Anderson driven to fight for his pride and country in this one and bettors can look to capitalize on an impending demolition.
Footnotes:
1 From CSAC: Sonnen positive for ‘Steroid Substance’ by Greg Savage, appeared in SherDog 9-20-10
Special Thanks to Dr. Johnny Benjamin (on Twitter at @DRJCBenjamin) for his aid in understanding some of the complexities of steroids and that Sonnen is allowed by rule to use them in this fight. Dr. Benjamin is a sound and reasonable voice that is in favor of MMA testing its athlete’s for banned substances and performance enhancers.
