Wanderlei Silva is not a happy man right now because he really, really wants to fight Chael Sonnen, and there’s a video to prove it.
Silva released a response to Sonnen on Friday filled with a nearly five minute rant caught on tape of the Brazilian unleashing on “The American Gangster” from West Linn, Oregon.
The former Pride champion has been rumored to face Sonnen ever since he defeated Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC Fight Night 26, but the fight has not officially been put together as of yet.
First there were rumors of an injury that could prevent Silva from fighting before the end of the year, and then came the news from UFC president Dana White that he turned down the fight when he wasn’t able to renegotiate to earn points off of the pay-per-view, where the fight with Sonnen would take place.
Contracts aside, Silva is making a case that he definitely wants to fight Sonnen, but he doesn’t address the other financial issues in the video.
“I’m only waiting for the date and the location. Because the people want this fight and I want this fight,” Silva said. “Sonnen, I will beat you up, you coward. Sonnen is a lower level fighter, don’t listen to what that fool says. Now you’ve messed with the wrong guy and I will beat you up.”
The full video is vintage Silva from his days in Pride, when he stared opponents down with a steely cold demeanor, and then unleashed hell on them in the ring. Obviously Sonnen has gotten under Silva’s skin and managed to enrage the Brazilian fighter enough to engage in this kind of threatening response.
“Sonnen, you are afraid of me, and I can see it in your eyes every time we meet,” Silva said. “And now I will get you Sonnen. Now I will get you. I will go into this fight not only to fight, but to hurt you. I won’t do it fast either, I want a five round main event. I don’t want just a co-main event, I want a full 30-minutes to punch your face.”
Silva goes on to say that if a million fans request this fight, Dana White will have no choice but to make it happen.
Could this be a negotiating tactic to continue to hype the fight and possibly land Silva the financial package he wants to take the fight with Sonnen? Or is this just the anger boiling over and Silva finally erupting?
Either way, it’s an interesting watch indeed to see Silva unload about his disdain for Sonnen.
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