(Photo via UFC.com)
In a recent interview with MMAFighting.com, while cageside at UFC 132 former UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen (25-11-1) was asked about the conclusion of the Wanderlei Silva vs. Chris Leben.
Sonnen said he hoped Silva was okay but said he would have finished ‘The Axe Murderer’ sooner if it had been him in the Octagon.
With Sonnen free to re-apply for a new license the question of “what’s next?” was put forth.
“I don’t know what the future holds, there are plenty of guys out there to fight. There’s a karate guy at 205 lbs, I might stop there on my way back to 185 for a tuneup fight and take out (Lyoto) Machida.”
Well, ‘The Dragon’ Lyoto Machida (17-2) has responded by saying “If Sonnen really wants a fight, I’ll sign immediately.”
Speaking to Tatame.com, Machida was asked his thoughts on Sonnen’s comments as well as Silva’s loss.
“I think that’s great, I’m excited to do that. He’s coming back now, wants to fight, and I really think it’s a good fight for me. If Sonnen really wants this fight, I’ll sign it immediately, no problem at all… ”
“It’s a tough situation to talk about, but Wanderlei has a lot of heart a gas, which are very important. I don’t believe it’s the end, if he wants to keep going he still has a lot of things to do. He’s experienced, and still has time to fight. If he believes it’s time to stop, that he won’t be able to fight in high level again, it’s his decision, but that is something that happens is any career and can be reversed.”
If Sonnen is re-licensed, which it looks as if he will, his last fight was last August, a submission loss to middleweight champ Anderson Silva. The consummate trash talker was being looked at as a coach for the latest season of “The Ultimate Fighter”, but filming was to begin before his suspension was finished so the job was given to Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller.
Machida, teammate to ‘The Spider’ Silva, bounced back from two-straight losses by stopping Randy Couture in April with a front kick KO at UFC 129. The win earned the karate fighter his seventeenth pro win and the “Knockout of the Night” bonus. No word on when, or who his next fight will be against has surfaced yet.