While Quinton “Rampage” Jackson currently sits out and undergoes surgery, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua remains without an opponent in the meantime.Rua, who is coming off a loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 139, is seeking a return to the Octagon and he hopes to pe…
While Quinton “Rampage” Jackson currently sits out and undergoes surgery, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua remains without an opponent in the meantime.
Rua, who is coming off a loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 139, is seeking a return to the Octagon and he hopes to perform within the coming months, preferably in his native land of Brazil at UFC 147.
“I might fight in June or July, that’s when I hope to fight, but for now there’s no opponent in mind,” Rua told TATAME.com. “I dream about being part of this card, even because it’s a huge event. I would really like to be a part of it.”
The Brazilian’s last trip to South America resulted in a successful outcome as he knocked out Forrest Griffin within the opening minutes of the first round at UFC 133.
Rua had been originally scheduled to face Jackson later this year, and was offered a rematch against Henderson, but both fights have been scrapped momentarily.
The former UFC light heavyweight champion said he isn’t the type to pick and choose opponents, however, he does intend on fighting this year.
“I rather wait. It’s hard to pick an opponent out like that. I rather not chose,” he said. “Sometime they have to replace your opponent and that’s frustrating for us as athletes, so I fight anyone.”
Despite Chael Sonnen denying his involvement in a rematch with Anderson Silva, UFC president Dana White has assured the bout is still on.The UFC announced earlier this week that Sonnen and Silva are scheduled to meet at UFC 147 in Brazil for the UFC mi…
The UFC announced earlier this week that Sonnen and Silva are scheduled to meet at UFC 147 in Brazil for the UFC middleweight title. However, Sonnen was quick to dismiss that he has not agreed to sign, nor has the title bout been made official.
But White shot down the notion that Sonnen hasn’t signed and confirmed he is still expected to face Silva later this summer.
“The fight is happening,” White told MMAWeekly.com. “He has accepted the fight, and he will be with me in Brazil for the press conference down there.”
The Oregon native’s words have drawn quite a bit of skepticism surrounding the credibility of the matchup, considering he has been provoking the champion for a rematch since their first bout at UFC 117 in 2010. Sonnen was just moments away from upsetting Silva, in a match that saw him dominate the Brazilian from the opening bell, before getting caught in a triangle choke and being forced to tap.
UFC 147, which will take place at the Estádio Olímpico João Havelange in Rio de Janeiro, is expected to approximately hold 80,000 people.
Once the UFC is able to organize and finalize the entire card, White said he expects their second trip to Brazil to be one of the biggest events in UFC history.
“I think this is one of the biggest sporting events of the year,” he said. “To take NFL, NBA, Major League Baseball, Formula-1, soccer, everything, this is one of the biggest sporting events of the year.”
When the smoke clears and all is said and done, we can shake hands and be friends. Right? Wrong! On June 16, 2012, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will step into the cage so that MMA fans can bear witness to the biggest rematch in UFC history. UFC…
When the smoke clears and all is said and done, we can shake hands and be friends. Right? Wrong!
On June 16, 2012, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will step into the cage so that MMA fans can bear witness to the biggest rematch in UFC history. UFC 147 is not only expected to be the biggest PPV event of the year, but it also looks like it could break the PPV record currently held by UFC 100, which also featured a grudge match rematch in the main event.
“Why should they fight again? We already saw it!” Just because you saw the same two guys get into the cage before doesn’t mean that you’ll see the same fight the second time around. Just look at Lesnar vs Mir and Liddell vs Couture as examples of different outcomes occurring in a hotly anticipated rematch.
Personal beef between fighters isn’t the only reason why fans want to see rematches.The way I see it, there are 10 primary situations that would make a rematch necessary:
Controversial Decision
Controversial Stoppage
Fight Ends in a Draw
Extremely Close Fight
Extremely Exciting Fight
Outside Factor Tainted First Fight
Close Contention within Division
Animosity Between Opponents
Underdog Shocks Heavy Favorite
Winner Tested Positive for Performance Enhancer
Here is a list of 20 Rematches that MMA Fans Want to See…whether they know it or not!
It seems likely that while his actual signing is a formality at this point, the media-savvy Sonnen is trying to add some drama and comedy to the situation. Through his twitter account, Sonnen reiterated that he had one demand that needed to be met before he signed on to fight Silva, and that he would only “declare” it to television talk show host Jim Rome.
(Chael Sonnen posing with his favorite fake belt in front of his favorite fake backdrop.)
It seems likely that while his actual signing is a formality at this point, the media-savvy Sonnen is trying to add some drama and comedy to the situation. Through his twitter account, Sonnen reiterated that he had one demand that needed to be met before he signed on to fight Silva, and that he would only “declare” it to television talk show host Jim Rome.
Not only will the rematch happen, it will happen surrounded by what the UFC hopes will be its largest gate ever. No doubt the soccer stadium will be filled with rabid Chael Sonnen fans sworn enemies.
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II is on according to an Ultimate Fighting Championship press release. The fight, slated for UFC 147 in Brazil, is the most anticipated rematch in UFC history. However, the massive scale of the event would not have been …
Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II is on according to an Ultimate Fighting Championship press release. The fight, slated for UFC 147 in Brazil, is the most anticipated rematch in UFC history. However, the massive scale of the event would not have been possible without the proper timing.
August 7, 2010 was the date of their first epic encounter. Chael Sonnen was riding a three fight win streak in to the fight and made it a must-see event with his trash-talk. Many felt as if this would be just another spectacular finish for the long-time UFC Middleweight Champion, but Sonnen had other ideas.
For four and a half rounds the challenger pounded Silva en route to what would have been a dominating decision victory. But Anderson Silva retained his title with a comeback performance that fans will not soon forget as he forced the tap at 3:10 of the fifth and final frame with a triangle choke.
Since that day fans have been clambering for the rematch.
Sonnen tested positive for elevated testosterone/epitestosterone post-fight, sending him to the sidelines for over a year. During Sonnen’s absence from the scene Anderson Silva dazzled the crowd with an astonishing front-kick knockout of top contender Vitor Belfort and a TKO over Yushin Okami.
Coming off his suspension, Chael Sonnen battled Middleweight contender Brain Stann, and won in impressive fashion with an arm-triangle choke in the second round. After the fight Sonnen did his best to goad Anderson Silva with a post-fight promo. For fans and pundits alike, now was the time to have the grudge settled between Silva and Sonnen, but the fight did not come to fruition.
This January, Chael Sonnen stepped in to the cage in a number one contender’s bout against Michael Bisping. Anderson Silva sat cageside as Sonnen won a narrow decision to set up the rematch everyone has been waiting for. Chael put together another memorable post-fight speech to entice Silva to accept and to rouse the fans in attendance. But when and where would it take place?
If this fight had been made any sooner it may have ended up in Las Vegas or another MMA hotbed. But due to the timing the most anticipated rematch in MMA history finds itself in Joao Havelange Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The UFC is expecting its largest crowd to date for the June 23rd event, which will come on the heels of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” with the co-main event between the two coaches and Brazilian superstars, Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva. The expectations for the pay-per-view broadcast are lofty as well.
Timing put this matchup when and where it should be. If Chael Sonnen had not been suspended, and if Anderson Silva had not incurred injuries that prevented an earlier rematch or if any other of the litany of factors had not happened we would have been deprived of the spectacle that this massive stage brings.
Timing is everything, and Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen is finally set for the biggest stage the UFC has ever been on.
Make no mistake, the biggest night in UFC history is June 23, 2012.Heavyweights may still rule the roost when it comes to drawing money and viewers, but no other fight in history has as much potential as the championship rematch between Anderson Silva …
Make no mistake, the biggest night in UFC history is June 23, 2012.
Heavyweights may still rule the roost when it comes to drawing money and viewers, but no other fight in history has as much potential as the championship rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen.
The backdrop is Joao Havelange Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Normally, this isn’t out of character for the UFC, as they travel to Brazil often and many other countries to broaden their fanbase. But, what makes this fight special is the dynamic between Silva and Sonnen.
Silva is the most talented fighter in UFC history and has outclassed every single one of his opponents in the Octagon, with the exception of Sonnen. When they fought in 2010, Sonnen frustrated “The Spider” with his wrestling for four-and-a-half rounds until Silva managed to catch him in a triangle choke with less than three minutes left in the fight.
What Sonnen brings to the table, besides his insane wresting skills, is a brash attitude that rubs many the wrong way. He has been known to get a hold of the microphone after a win and deliver what can only be described as a WWE-style promo. Consider Silva one of those who takes exception to the things that come out of Sonnen’s mouth. The normally soft-spoken Silva spoke to SporTV and had this to say:
“He disrespected our idols that made history in the world of sports, such as Lance Armstrong. This guy is complicated, he’s got personal issues.”
The location adds much intrigue to this fight as well. Brazil is the home country of Anderson Silva and Joao Havelange Stadium is a soccer stadium that holds roughly 45,000 fans for soccer matches, but the capacity will increase by thousands when the UFC comes in June.
Also, scheduled on the card is another long-awaited rematch featuring two Brazilian-born fighters. Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva will battle once again after engaging in a 44-second bout in 1998, in which Belfort knocked out Wanderlei abruptly.
Two huge fights featuring three fighters from Brazil are headlining this card in Rio de Janeiro, and the soccer-style fans there are considered a very rowdy bunch. When you add the loud antagonist Sonnen and the supremely skilled Silva to the mix it makes an amazing setting for what should be an outstanding card.
While Quinton “Rampage” Jackson currently sits out and undergoes surgery, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua remains without an opponent in the meantime.