Tag: UFC 148

Silva vs Sonnen: Why Spider Will Dominate Fight Despite Sonnen’s Tough Talk

Anderson Silva is the best pound-for-pound mixed-martial-arts fighter in the world, and Chael Sonnen will lose to the champion once again at UFC 148.  This is the second time the two have met, with the first bout coming at UFC 117, in August of 20…

Anderson Silva is the best pound-for-pound mixed-martial-arts fighter in the world, and Chael Sonnen will lose to the champion once again at UFC 148. 

This is the second time the two have met, with the first bout coming at UFC 117, in August of 2010. 

The challenger had some choice words about Silva’s status as the top fighter in the world and said the following to John Canzano on AM 750, a sports radio station in Portland, Ore.:

They told us for years when I was growing up that Mike Tyson was the best in the world… He never made a world or Olympic team and he could never beat Evander Holyfield…They just kept him away from him and lied to the entire planet and told them he was the best when he wasn’t. It’s a lot like that with Anderson. I’ve been telling him for six years I’m the best but he’s got to hold onto the championship. They kept putting obstacles in front of me and I kept having to go through them.

Sonnen gave Silva an extremely tough test. Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports broke down the stats from that fight. 

Sonnen landed 320 strikes against Silva, more than any other fight since Royce Gracie landed 355 strikes on Ken Shamrock in a 36-minute fight at UFC 5. Entering the bout with Sonnen at UFC 117, Silva had only absorbed 166 strikes from 11 opponents.

But all that punching and kicking was for nothing in the end, as Silva got Sonnen on the ground and forced him to tap out with a triangle armbar. If Sonnen had lasted just 1:50 longer, he would have easily won the fight on points. 

This time around, Silva will be much more prepared for Sonnen. 

At UFC 112, Silva’s fight immediately preceding his first matchup with Sonnen, the Brazilian took on Demian Maia and defeated him handily. However, Silva controversially taunted his opponent and even appeared to take rounds off. 

Silva’s antics were reflective of a fighter who had become cocky and lost focus. But the beating he took at the hands of Sonnen humbled him, and it showed in the subsequent fights. 

Silva knocked out Vitor Balfour in the first round of UFC 126 and won by technical knockout against Yushin Okami in the second round of UFC 134. 

When Silva is focused and in the right mindset, he is unbeatable. He has no flaws as a fighter.

He is faster and quicker than Sonnen and is just as good on the ground as he is standing up. Silva is the best fighter in the world, regardless of Sonnen’s claims.

The Brazilian will prove that tonight.

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Silva vs. Sonnen 2: What Betting Line Is Saying About the Rematch

Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past two years, you know the main event of UFC 148 is sure to be one of the biggest in MMA history. In one corner, you have Anderson Silva, arguably the greatest MMA fighter ever and current UFC champion.&n…

Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the past two years, you know the main event of UFC 148 is sure to be one of the biggest in MMA history. 

In one corner, you have Anderson Silva, arguably the greatest MMA fighter ever and current UFC champion. 

Standing across from him is Chael Sonnen, the only man to ever give Silva a challenge in the UFC. 

Despite being a huge underdog in their first fight, Sonnen went out and dominated Silva for four-and-a-half rounds. 

Unless you were a Sonnen fan, or absolutely hated Silva, there’s no way you would have bet on Sonnen. 

But Sonnen was confident and determined going into the fight. 

Sonnen out-struck and out-wrestled Silva for the majority of the fight, and he would have won had it not been for Silva’s great submission game. 

Sonnen is not as much of an underdog this time around, but he still has the cards stacked against him. 

Right now, Bookmaker.eu has the odds going Silva -300, Sonnen +240.

What this means is the odds are still on Silva’s side, but betting on Sonnen won’t give as much of a return as it would have the first time. 

Despite dominating Silva the first fight, bookmakers still are not completely sold on giving Sonnen a closer edge. 

Perhaps waking up the quiet giant that is Anderson Silva is a good reason for that. 

Silva is already a scary fighter. 

But an angry “Spider” is not one that I would want to fight against. 

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UFC 148 Predictions Anderson vs Chael

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen Prediction In the first meetup, Chael owned Anderson for 4.75 rounds taking Anderson down and ground n pounding him. However, Silva was hurt. It was clear in the fight and it was clear in his movie where they showed the incident. Silva has been extremely vocal about this bout something

Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen Prediction

In the first meetup, Chael owned Anderson for 4.75 rounds taking Anderson down and ground n pounding him. However, Silva was hurt. It was clear in the fight and it was clear in his movie where they showed the incident.

Silva has been extremely vocal about this bout something he has never been. He is clearly angry. Silva imo is going to destroy Sonnen. I picked Sonnen last time, but this time its going to go Silva’s way and I think within 3 rounds. The odds for Silva aren’t outrageous either. Once again though if you believe Sonnen will win this time and not get caught in a last minute triangle, Sonnen odds are pretty good here.

However, Silva will keep this standing and Sonnen will get hurt badly. Odds are not outrageous for an Anderson win.

Forrest Griffin vs Tito Ortiz

This will be Tito Ortiz’s last fight in the UFC. He is retiring win or lose. I expect him to give everything and Griffin is going to make this fight to remember as well. Nothing Tito presents will stop Griffin. Griffin’s height is a problem for Tito in the standup, and Ortiz’ wrestling is going to be the best advantage he has. However, his age is going to be a factor against Griffin. Both guys haven’t fought in awhile either.

I think Griffin is going to win, but in this fight if you want to take the underdog with a chance to win it would be Ortiz. Plus you will rooting for a hall of famer who has given his entire career to the UFC. A legend will retire tonight and much respect to Tito Ortiz who I’ve been watching since his very first fight.

Middleweight Cung Le vs Patrick Côté

Cung Le has all the tools to beat Cote. Cote is favored though. Everyone thinks the glass jaw of Cung Le is a problem and going against power puncher Cote will be a problem. The problem is Cote hasn’t fought anyone great in awhile and hasn’t won against top contenders since his knee got kicked out of socket against Anderson Silva. His puncing power imo is not the same and he has a similar style to Scott Smith who Cung Le lost too the first time, but owned Smith the second time. Cung is a smart fighter. I think if he can utilize the same Scott Smith part 2 gameplan and keep it on the outside (and KEEP HIS DAMN HANDS UP) he will be fine.

When Cung lost to Wanderlei that was because its Wanderlei. The guy doesn’t stop rushing you. The issue is Cung on the ground, where Cote is pretty decent actually. Just look at the Rich Franklin vs Wanderlei fight to see that Rich fights similar to Cung without the awesome kicks and rock solid chin.

I like Cung Le in the underdog position as the odds are pretty good.

Welterweight Dong Hyun Kim vs Demian Maia Predictions

Dong Hyun Kim is one of my favorite fighters. I feel his skillset is underloved. Maia has improved so much that this fight should be pretty good. Kim is great at submission defense however and I think Maia will have problems submitting him despite being the master he is.

I like Kim winning this one.

Featherweight Chad Mendes vs Cody McKenzie

The wrestler vs the special guillotine master. Mendes is likely winning this one and the odds are around -625 for Mendes. This is a pass or if you want to root for McKenzie the odds make it worth it for him to catch his signature move which is always amazing to see. Most likely going to be a TKO, but really, I would put a small amount on McKenzie here just to say you called it.

Bantamweight Ivan Menjivar vs Mike Easton

The Hulk vs the veteran. I like the Hulk here.

Preliminary Card on FX

Lightweight Gleison Tibau vs Khabib Nurmagomedov

Despite the veteran skills of Tibau you just never know which version of himself will show up. Nurmagomedov is pretty damn good and a heavy dog here. I’m going with the Russian.

Lightweight Melvin Guillard vs Fabrício Camões

Who doesn’t like seeing Melvin fight? I got Melvin winning this, but odds have me passing on a bet.

Constantinos Philippou vs Riki Fukuda

This is interesting fight. Philippou is a great power puncher. While Fukuda is an excellent grinder. The odds show Philippou winning this fight overwhelmingly, but I kinda like Fukuda here in the heavy dog. He can put up a good fight against the best of them and when you have a grinder against a guy that runs out of gas…

Nobody is picking Fukuda here, but I like the play. I got Fukuda.

Lightweight John Alessio vs Shane Roller

Shane Roller is very inconsistent imo. Alessio hasn’t fought in the UFC in quite awhile aside from his last loss to Bocek. Alessio is a talented fighter who I think has lost at inopportune times in his career that have kept him out public viewing because he has been forced out of the UFC several times and even lost in some Tier 2 organizations. However, he is back now and I think Alessio has an excellent shot at beating Roller.

I like Alessio here.

UFC 148: Anderson Silva and More Stars Who Will Pick Up Key Victories

UFC has put together one of its strongest cards in months, with Anderson Silva defending his middleweight championship belt in the main event against Chael Sonnen on Saturday night. The undercard also features several big names. Let’s take a look at th…

UFC has put together one of its strongest cards in months, with Anderson Silva defending his middleweight championship belt in the main event against Chael Sonnen on Saturday night. The undercard also features several big names.

Let’s take a look at three fighters who will emerge victorious at UFC 148. Since there are so many marquee matchups on the card, there will be huge audience tuned in to watch. That makes it a perfect opportunity to make a major statement.

 

Forrest Griffin

Griffin and Tito Ortiz are two guys in desperate need of a win. Griffin will be entering the octagon for the first time in 11 months after injuries suffered in a loss to Mauricio Rua. Ortiz, meanwhile, has lost two straight bouts and six of his last eight.

It’s the third time they have fought each other, splitting the first two. Although it’s tough to get a good read on Griffin’s match fitness, it’s hard to have any faith in Ortiz at this point. He simply hasn’t been the same since losing to Chuck Liddell.

Both of the previous meetings have been close, and this one shouldn’t be any different, since each should have plenty of motivation. Ultimately, Griffin has been in better form over the last few fights and should escape with the win.

 

 

Anderson Silva

Sonnen actually held his own the first time he faced off with Silva before the champion was able to earn a late submission victory. Neither fighter has lost since then, which adds a lot of intrigue to main event, as they both continue to show no signs of slowing down.

What makes Silva so tough to beat and has allowed him to set the record for most consecutive title defenses is his ability to win any type of fight. Just in his last four bouts, he’s won by knockout, submission and decision. That makes him special.

He can’t take Sonnen lightly, because the challenger will be out to prove his narrow loss in the first fight wasn’t a fluke. That said, Silva still has the overall advantage and should figure out a way to come out on top when the dust clears.

 

 

Chad Mendes

Even though Mendes failed in the biggest fight of his career against Jose Aldo back in January, there’s still a lot to like about his future. He has showcased the ability to survive grueling fights and has improved his approach in recent years.

He’ll battle Cody McKenzie, who ended a short losing streak with a win over Marcus LeVesseur the last time out. Both guys have shown flashes out potential early in their careers, so it all comes down to becoming more consistent from fight to fight.

The key for Mendes will be showing a little more aggressiveness early. He has established his ability to go deep in fights. If he can start earning some early knockouts, that’s when he’ll take his game to the next level and become a star. He can do that against McKenzie.

 

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UFC 148 Start Time: Complete Viewing Guide for Silva vs. Sonnen II

UFC 148 is going to be an epic event. It features a number of outstanding competitors stepping into the octagon for what should be nothing less than some incredible bouts. The main billing is Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, who first met at UFC 117 ba…

UFC 148 is going to be an epic event. It features a number of outstanding competitors stepping into the octagon for what should be nothing less than some incredible bouts.

The main billing is Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, who first met at UFC 117 back in August of 2010. Silva ended up winning and maintained his dominance by using a triangle armbar to get Sonnen to submit in the fifth round.

The American will be looking to get his revenge almost two years later, while the Brazilian MMA fighter will try to maintain his status as the top dog in the sport.

It would be a major upset if Sonnen wins, but crazier things have happened and you certainly won’t want to miss the chance of seeing it go down.

Keep reading to find out where you can watch the event and the details of the live stream.

 

Where: MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, NV

When: Saturday, July 7 at 10:00 p.m. ET

Watch: Main Card starts at 10:00 p.m. ET on pay-per-view; Preliminary Card starts at 8:00 p.m. ET on FX; One Undercard Fight on Facebook

Live Stream: Facebook, UFC.tv, iOS, Android, Roku, Xbox Live, YouTube, UStream all available on UFC website.

Go to a Bar: The UFC bar locator has you covered if you aren’t looking to pay a premium to watch this PPV and would like to watch in a social environment.

 

Fight Card

Main Card

Middleweight Championship Bout: Anderson Silva (c) vs. Chael Sonnen

Light Heavyweight Bout: Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz

Middleweight Bout: Cung Le vs. Patrick Cote

Welterweight Bout: Dong Hyun Kim vs. Demian Maia

Featherweight Bout: Chad Mendes vs. Cody McKenzie

Bantamweight Bout: Ivan Menjivar vs. Mike Easton

 

Preliminary Card (FX)

Lightweight Bout: Gleison Tibau vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov

Lightweight Bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Fabricio Camoes

Middleweight Bout: Constantinos Philippou vs. Riki Fukuda

Lightweight Bout: John Alessio vs. Shane Roller

 

Preliminary Card (Facebook)

Lightweight Bout: Rafaello Oliveira vs. Yoislandy Izquierdo

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Anderson Silva: Would a Loss to Chael Sonnen Ruin His Legacy

In a few hours, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will have the biggest fight of his career as he takes on Chael Sonnen for a second time at UFC 148. No one has made Silva’s blood boil as much as Sonnen has. And for good reason. Sonnen is …

In a few hours, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will have the biggest fight of his career as he takes on Chael Sonnen for a second time at UFC 148.

No one has made Silva’s blood boil as much as Sonnen has. And for good reason.

Sonnen is one of the best (or worst) trash talkers in sports history. Whenever you think Sonnen can’t take it any further, he does.

Sonnen has not only talked about Silva, but his beloved country of Brazil, his mentors the Nogueira brothers and his family.

The biggest reason Sonnen is Silva’s greatest rival is because he is the only man in the UFC to really put Silva in danger of losing his title.

Sonnen dominated Silva for four and-a-half rounds before Silva slapped on a triangle armbar.

If Sonnen can repeat his performance and finish the job against Silva, he will—without a doubt—go down as one of the greatest fighters in MMA history.

But it will not ruin the legacy that Silva has.

Silva has some of the most impressive records in MMA history.

Silva has 14 straight UFC wins, 9 title defenses and wins over some of the biggest names in the history of the sport—including Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin and Vitor Belfort.

And while many people pride themselves on trying to go for undefeated records, Silva has already lost four times in his career. 

Of course, all of them have come outside of the UFC. 

Whether Silva wins or loses, his legacy is already set in stone.

For Silva’s legacy to be ruined, he would have to have a major controversy break out.

Silva has defeated everyone the UFC has thrown at him up to this point, in multiple weight classes, and will be a UFC Hall of Famer in the future.

Whether he keeps the title tonight or not, Silva’s legacy is something he does not have to worry about.

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