UFC president Dana White confirmed either Chael Sonnen or Mark Munoz will challenge Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title later next summer.
However, the outspoken UFC boss is interested in selling the title bout, particularly a rematch featuring Sonnen and Silva, in front of the champion’s homeland in Brazil.
While at first being intrigued by the idea, White is a little concerned for Sonnen’s safety should the middleweight title contender continue disrespecting Silva and his native country.
White has expressed interest in implementing security at the event to ensure the well-being of Sonnen.
“We’ve already started worrying about that,” White told MMAFighting.com. “We will have presidential-type security down there for him. The biggest fear would be should Chael win that night.”
Despite his concern for Sonnen, White believes hosting the potential rematch in Brazil will help elevate Silva’s status in Brazil as he headlines an event against his rival.
White said the hostile environment was in comparison to a boxing match between Greg Haugen and Julio Cesar Chavez, which took place in front of over 100,000 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in 1993.
“Greg Haugen said the most horrible things you can ever say about Mexicans,” he said. “They walked him in, people were throwing beers at him as he went in, it was crazy. But the fight went off and it was one of the biggest fights in boxing history.”
And White has those same dreams about putting on a great fight between Sonnen and Silva, however Sonnen must get past Munoz first at UFC on FOX 2 in January next year.
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