(“I call dis de Tiger Claw. If do right, no can defense.”)
Less than five years ago, Wanderlei Silva would have accepted a fight with Chael “Too Sweet to be Sour” Sonnen in the parking lot of a Yogoberry for free (which is oddly enough what Lyoto Machida has resorted to these days). But they say that time has a way of healing all wounds, which is why “The Axe Murderer” suddenly seems hesitant to fight his one-time “BangBus” co-star without the added incentive of moar monies. Specifically, those tasty pay-per-view points that Sonnen is always getting in on.
In a text sent to MMAFighting, Dana White discussed Silva’s demands for a potential fight with Sonnen and took a huge, steaming dump on them in less than 100 characters. Now that’s how you efficiently run a business!
[Silva] said he won’t fight him unless he gets PPV [points] so I guess he’s gonna retire.
Yeah, you hear that Wandy? Only true mixed martial artists get a slice of the pay-per-view-point pie. I’m talking about the Brock Lesnars and the James Toneys of the world, you bum! Now go home and get your fucking shinebox!
We know Wanderlei hasn’t exactly been knocking off top competitors (or even fighting above .500) since entering the UFC in 2007, but the man is still a legitimate draw who has shed more blood for the sport than perhaps anyone else and deserves to be paid accordingly. He’s also coming off a double award winning performance against Brian Stann at UFC on FUEL 8 that is almost sure to go down as the greatest fight of 2013. For White to dismiss his request so effortlessly seems rather disrespectful to say the least.
On the other hand, Silva is currently making around $200,000 to show these days, so perhaps White thinks that figure is more than enough compensation for an aging relic. One who just retired an American hero in the greatest fight we will see this year.