Chael Sonnen is proving to be an itch that Anderson Silva can’t seem to scratch.
As reported by Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden, Sonnen’s camp is set to appeal his UFC 148 loss to “The Spider.”
The appeal is based around a knee thrown by Silva in the second round, which led to a TKO stoppage.
Sonnen, who was obviously downed at the time, took a knee directly in the chest from Silva.
At first glimpse, the knee looks clean, but with a closer look, it’s obvious Silva pops Sonnen in the face with the follow-through just above the knee. In the UFC, it is illegal to kick or knee a downed opponent in the head.
What counts as a knee? If not a knee, would Silva’s strike be defined as a kick?
Sonnen’s chances of winning such an appeal will likely be a long shot, but it is certainly within the realm of possibility.
Snowden caught up with Sonnen’s manager Scott McQuarry, who had plenty to say about the questionable knee thrown by Silva:
Chael’s not the kind of guy who likes to complain after a fight. I felt I needed to take this action to protect him. At the point of impact, Anderson had his hand locked in the cage and his feet left the ground. We believe his intentions were clear. We started the process of filing a complaint with the Nevada Athletic Commission. We believe the knee that Anderson Silva threw was illegal with the clear intent to strike the face. And it did in fact connect with the face. Chael bit his tongue and needed eight stitches.
We’re going to ask for a rematch. We deserve a rematch. If the only way Anderson Silva can win is by cheating, we need to keep a closer eye on Silva before and during a fight. And we need a rematch now. Legal knee or illegal knee, there’s enough doubt with all the fouls to warrant a rematch.
Silva has to be growing tired of the ongoing feud with Sonnen. For over two years, Sonnen has disrespected his family, teammates and the entire country of Brazil.
Silva has already defeated Sonnen twice, and both of the bouts ended in stoppages.
With that said, a potential rematch between Silva and Sonnen is good for business. The UFC 148 main event was arguably the biggest fight in UFC history. If Sonnen wins the appeal, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think White would be quick to green-light the trilogy.
Buckle up, folks.
The Silva and Sonnen feud is far from over.
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