Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva have allegedly come to blows while filming The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3. The news leaked across Twitter before being confirmed by the UFC.
Dana White: a huge fight broke out today in Brazil between @sonnench and @wandfc. Chael got sucker punched by 1 of Wandy’s guys. #RealTalk
— UFCONFOX (@UFCONFOX) January 27, 2014
Details are still emerging, but MMA Weekly’s Eric Fontanez stated that Dana White and the UFC were in damage control mode following the incident:
Dana said they’re dealing with fixing the mess that stems from the Wand-Chael fight in Brazil from today.
— Erik Fontanez (@Erik_Fontanez) January 27, 2014
Additionally, there are conflicting stories from various journalists and personalities suggesting that Sonnen was sucker-punched by a member of Silva’s team. Whether or not it was during the fight, or if it was what started the brawl, is also unknown.
Fans should not get too excited when it comes to seeing some pregame fisticuffs between the two, though.
While Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen have had one of the most well-publicized rivalries in MMA over the past 12 months, the story came literally six hours after the UFC sent out a press release stating that the Sonnen vs. Silva season of The Ultimate Fighter would be available outside Brazil exclusively on the UFC’s digital distribution service, UFC Fight Pass (you can read our full coverage here). It also comes just ahead of Dana White appearing on Fox Sports 1’s Fox Sports Live.
The timing, quite frankly, feels a bit too convenient.
Of course, the only way you’ll be able to verify the legitimacy of the goings-on would be watching the show on Fight Pass, which costs $10 a month following the trial period which ends March 1 (TUF: Brazil 3 begins March 9).
Regardless, unless word breaks that the police became involved, fans should take the story with a grain of salt.
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