This is one of those rivalries that refuses to die.
It’s no secret that former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweights Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva don’t like each other. Back in 2013, the two had a face-to-face confrontation. They were later coaching opposite teams on a season of The Ultimate Fighter.
A bout between the two never materialized, but they are now both signed with Bellator. A match-up between the two seems inevitable. In a teleconference (via MMAFighting.com), Sonnen made it clear that he will throw down with “The Axe Murderer” one day:
“The next time I see Wanderlei Silva, I’m going to be fighting Wanderlei Silva. And he is going to tell you the same thing. And the goal is, it will be inside of a ring on an appropriate time. But the next time I see him, I’m going to be fighting him.”
The former UFC title challenger wasn’t shy about revealing his ultimate reasoning for signing with Bellator. He has his eyes on the fight.
“I came here to chase Wanderlei. I didn’t care about Tito but Wanderlei is busy so when they asked about Tito I said yeah.”
First, Sonnen will have to focus on the task at hand tonight (Jan. 21). He will headline Bellator 170 with “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz. While the result isn’t likely to prevent a bout with Silva from happening, a win over Ortiz has more meaning to Sonnen than other bouts.
Silva has not competed since March 2013. He defeated Brian Stann with a second round knockout inside the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Silva was involved in a mess with the UFC and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
“The Axe Murderer” had failed to submit an application to fight in Nevada. He also refused to undergo a random drug test. Silva was given a lifetime ban by the NSAC, but it was overturned by a judge. After apologizing for accusations that the UFC fixed fights, Silva was granted his release.
