sonnen vs silva | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

10 Canceled Fights That Altered The Course Of MMA History

As MMA fans we’ve become accustomed to news of fights being canceled. The very nature of the sport means that injuries are an ever-present threat, while strict drug-testing procedures, weight-cutting issues, illnesses and other unforeseen circumstances are all potential pitfalls that can take a fighter out of action at a moments notice. With the benefit

The post 10 Canceled Fights That Altered The Course Of MMA History appeared first on LowKick MMA.

As MMA fans we’ve become accustomed to news of fights being canceled.

The very nature of the sport means that injuries are an ever-present threat, while strict drug-testing procedures, weight-cutting issues, illnesses and other unforeseen circumstances are all potential pitfalls that can take a fighter out of action at a moments notice.

With the benefit of hindsight, some scrapped fights have more historical significance than others though, and that will be the focus of this article as we look back at dream fights that fell through the cracks and left us wondering what might have been, cancellations that unexpectedly shifted the course of a division, and others that would sound the death knell for entire organizations.

Michael Bisping vs. Gegard Mousasi

2016 has been a remarkable year for Michael Bisping, who achieved a long-time dream by winning the UFC’s middleweight title, and he owes at least part of his success to two fortuitous fight cancellations.

It all began December of 2015 when it was announced that UFC Fight Night 93 in the UK would be headlined by Bisping and Gegard Mousasi, only for the match-up to be unexpectedly canceled just weeks later.

In a break from the norm this wasn’t due to illness or injury, but rather because the UFC had decided to pair Bisping up with Anderson Silva instead.

That would prove to be a fateful decision as despite almost being KO’d at the end of the third round, Bisping would rally to defeat the aging Brazilian legend by unanimous decision.

That appeared to be a career-defining moment for the Brit, but it led to even bigger things just a few months later when the UFC were forced to scrap a middleweight title rematch between Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman at UFC 199 due to an injury.

On just 10 days notice Bisping stepped in to rematch Rockhold for the title, and again ‘The Count’ seized the opportunity with both hands, shocking the world by KO’ing his rival in the opening round to become the new champion.

Now Bisping also has a successful title defense under his belt and is looking ahead to his next fight, but you can’t help but wonder how things would have played out if the UFC had stuck with their original plan to match him up with Mousasi instead of Silva back in February.

The post 10 Canceled Fights That Altered The Course Of MMA History appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Report: Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen Will Finally Happen In 2017

One of the greatest MMA rivalries of all-time that never led to a fight… To say Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen have a history would be a massive understatement. Sharing an intense rivalry that started during the run-up to Sonnen’s first fight with Anderson Silva, the two were booked in to coach The Ultimate Fighter

The post Report: Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen Will Finally Happen In 2017 appeared first on LowKick MMA.

One of the greatest MMA rivalries of all-time that never led to a fight…

To say Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen have a history would be a massive understatement. Sharing an intense rivalry that started during the run-up to Sonnen’s first fight with Anderson Silva, the two were booked in to coach The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3. ‘The Axe Murderer’ was offended by Sonnen’s comments about Brazilians, and the two had faced off many times before they coached on TUF. Approaching the highly anticipated climax in 2013, the two brawled in a memorable scene on the Ultimate Fighter set.

Moving from UFC 173, to the TUF Brazil 3 final, and finally to UFC 175, the bout between Wandy and ‘The American Gangster’ would never materialize. Instead their beef was dispersed following a string of failed drug tests by Sonnen, and a controversial avoided dope screen in the case of Silva. Sonnen would receive a two-year ban by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, but Silva would get hit with a lifetime ban by the NAC. Finally in 2016, both men would be free to fight again. ‘The Axe Murderer’ had his lifetime ban overturned and was released from his UFC contract.

Paths Will Cross

Signing with Rizin Fighting Federation, Wanderlei Silva will look to settle an old feud with Mirko Cro Cop in December. Close partners with Rizin and also keen acquirers of UFC legends, Bellator MMA got their hands on Chael Sonnen. The gangster from Oregon will take on Tito Ortiz in January of next year, and here’s where the plot thickens. Bellator CEO Scott Coker says Wandy is still furious at Sonnen, and the two will finally meet in the cage next year! Via MMAMania:

“Since Bellator contracted Chael Sonnen, believe me, we’ve been getting texts and calls from Wanderlei saying that he wants that fight. So, I think you’ll see that fight some time in 2017 for Bellator. Wanderlei is still pissed about what happened between them and he wants that fight. It’s something personal for him. Honestly, I don’t really know what happened to make him that compelled to fight Chael, but I can tell you that he is not happy with what happened between them.”

“That’s going to be a fight where everybody stops whatever they’re doing to turn on the TV to see the fight. As we all know, that fight has been building for a number of years and they couldn’t work it out, but now I feel the timing is perfect.”

The Saga Continues

Many memories and classic moments already exist between Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva. Unfortunately for Bellator, due to Zuffa copyright they won’t be able to use any of those confrontations to hype the fight. The saga will come to ahead in 2017, as Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen’s paths will cross after six years of waiting.

Go Bellator!

The post Report: Wanderlei Silva vs. Chael Sonnen Will Finally Happen In 2017 appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Wanderlei Silva Sends Violent Threats To Chael Sonnen

Former Pride FC champion and UFC veteran Wanderlei Silva is back where his illustrious career first really gained steam. Signed with the budding Rizin FF promotion, ran by the former owner of Pride, ‘The Axe Murderer’ awaits his return to mixed martial arts action after an absence of more than three years. His final fight

The post Wanderlei Silva Sends Violent Threats To Chael Sonnen appeared first on LowKick MMA.

Since that time Silva came very close to fighting his rival Chael Sonnen, and on the season of The Ultimate Fighter they coached opposite each other, a famous brawl did actually break out. That moment would go down as one of the greatest TUF scenes of all time, but the bout would never come to fruition.

The beef that had brewed for so long, with multiple confrontations and even the fight on the reality TV show, eventually unravelled in front of our eyes. First off ‘The Axe Murderer’ avoided the Nevada Athletic Commission dope testers, landing himself a lifetime ban from competing, further complicated by the fact the UFC was very unhappy with him. Silva even claimed he knew of ‘fixed fights’ under the Zuffa banner.

After a lengthy legal battle with the NSAC and the UFC, Silva was forced to publicly apologize for his comments about Zuffa, and was later freed from his contract, once again able to fight without the constraints of his former employers.

But the feud with Sonnen is far from over, and Silva has heard what ‘The American Gangster’ said about him recently.

In typical Wanderlei Silva fashion, he’s gone completely berserk over the issue.

Full story on page 2…

continue…

The post Wanderlei Silva Sends Violent Threats To Chael Sonnen appeared first on LowKick MMA.