Following Anderson Silva’s physical confrontation with Chael Sonnen at a recent UFC 148 press junket, Tito Ortiz now believes “The Spider” wants to kill the self-proclaimed “American Gangster.”
“It shows Chael Sonnen is getting under Anderson Silva’s skin,” Ortiz told ESPN. “Is it a good thing or a bad thing? We’re about to find out.”
“Anderson’s feathers are ruffled, and he’s fighting out of anger now. I’ve never seen Anderson fight out of anger. To see him angry, out of character, he wants to kill Chael Sonnen.”
Before the UFC presser altercation, the Brazilian vented his fury at a UFC 148 media conference call—letting Sonnen and the MMA world know what fate awaited the trash-talking Oregonian.
“This is going to be violent and I am sorry. I’m going to make sure that every one of his teeth are broken, that his arms are broken and his legs are broken. He’s not going to be able to walk out of the Octagon by himself. I can guarantee that. He will need a plastic surgeon afterwards,” Silva said.
Those were the words of a man hellbent on total destruction and absolute mayhem. Whether Sonnen has ruffled Silva’s feathers as Ortiz alluded to is up in the air. What remains factual is that the verbal assault was indicative of a man with a serious axe to grind.
Prior to and ever since Sonnen failed in his attempt to unseat Silva at UFC 117, he has been a constant thorn in his side—berating him from pillar to post at every given opportunity.
Yet, more times than not, the UFC 185-pound titlist has kept schtum and allowed his arch rival to vocally vituperate to his heart’s content.
But now, Silva has methodically turned the tables on Sonnen, and the most anticipated fight in UFC history just got juicier.
Tito Ortiz is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and made a record five successful title defenses.
That said, “The Peoples’ Champ” formerly known as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” will be inducted into the UFC’s Hall of Fame before his swan song rubber match with Forrest Griffin in the co-main event of 148.
UFC 148 is scheduled for July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.
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