Dana White, UFC 148 and the rematch that almost wasn't: Silva vs. Sonnen II

[Dirty Daley]

Skeptics and cynics, beware: If you think Chael Sonnen is just running his mouth with no substance behind it, he might just be telling the truth.

In late April, just days before he boarded a plane with UFC president Dana White for a news conference in Brazil, Sonnen maintained there was no rematch signed between him and middleweight champion Anderson Silva – despite reports he was going to Brazil to help announce the fight.

On Monday, White told MMAjunkie.com Sonnen's stories were legit and added a little more depth and intrigue to what the UFC is saying could be its biggest fight in history, "UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II" – a fight that nearly didn't happen.

"When we did the press conference down in Brazil, Silva hadn't even agreed to fight him," White said. "That fight wasn't happening. I had them bring Anderson to the place where the press conference was, and we sat in a room for three hours fighting about the fight."

Fans may remember the April 24 news conference in Rio de Janeiro for its late start. And White said that late start was because he and his biggest star were at odds over Silva signing on for the rematch.

Silva, as should come as little surprise, is not a fan of the brashness and trash talk that led up to UFC 117, and the talk that Sonnen has continued for nearly two years since then. But when Sonnen got on the plane with White, he flew to Brazil with no guarantee of a fight – only the hope that White could get Silva to agree to the rematch.

"Yeah, (Chael knew)," White said. "He knew there was no fight. (What Chael said) was true, absolutely true. We went down there to make that fight. We set up a press conference, and I had to get it done."

Silva and Sonnen first met in August 2010 at UFC 117 in Oakland, Calif. In that fight, Sonnen gave Silva the biggest test of his UFC career, battering him for more than four rounds before Silva pulled off a fifth-round miracle submission to retain his belt.

Sonnen tested positive for elevated testosterone-to-epitestosterone levels after the fight and was suspended for a year by the California State Athletic Commission, delaying a planned immediate rematch.

"(Silva wants to fight) anybody but Chael," White said. "He thinks Chael is disrespectful and doesn't deserve a shot at this title at all. So leading up to the press conference, it was delayed an hour because I was fighting with him in my room."

White, of course, eventually was able to get Silva to sign on the dotted line for the fight, which takes place Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas – and not at the soccer stadium in Brazil it was originally targeted for, which likely made Silva even less enthralled with the thought of giving Sonnen another chance at his title.

On a conference call this past week with media members, Sonnen and White, Silva showed a level of anger toward his opponent he hadn't displayed before. And his comments have been the story of the fight in the last two weeks leading up to the bout. But White said it even took some battling to get Silva to be on the call – further proof the champion still may be turning up his nose over having to fight Sonnen again.

"He's pissed at us about that. He's genuinely mad," White said. "And that's part of the reason he flipped out on the call, because he wasn't even going to get on the call. [UFC vice president of communications] Caren Bell found out in Brazil that he wasn't going to be on the call, and then I made the call and said, 'You better be on the call.' And it led right up until (the call started)."

Both situations have been part of White's behind-the-scenes headaches for months, culminating in Saturday's main event at UFC 148. But at the end of the day, the rematch is one White believes had to happen because Sonnen earned it with the way he fought Silva the first time, plus wins over Brian Stann and Michael Bisping since then.

"My philosophy is always, if you don't like it, handle it in the octagon," White said. "You can't say a guy doesn't deserve it because you think he's mean. He definitely deserves the rematch. More than anybody. It's true. He's the only guy who's ever come close to beating him in the UFC."


http://mmajunkie.com/news/29481/dana...-sonnen-ii.mma

[Dirty Daley]

Interesting! That was a brave move. Obviously mr white is ruthless and get's what he want's.

[JAX]

I always thought the biggest over/under would be wether Silva got in the ring to fight not who won or lost, and it looks like that was true. I didn't realize it was that bad tho, I always thought Silva would pull injury.....and then again he still has time yet.

[Dirty Daley]

Does anyone think silva doesnt want to fight him because he will lose?

[jbleedin]

Does anyone think silva doesnt want to fight him because he will lose?

I do. He came so close to losing the 1st time that it's got to be on his mind. Having said that, I think Silva will win this fight by KO.

[Dirty Daley]

Yeah , i think also. Silva can talk all he want's to about being injured , he was gifted that triangle and i dont just belive it's sonnen he is scared of , i think it's a strong wrestler. He has faced hendo & leben but sonnen really stuck to taking him down constantly.

[BluenoseGreig]

I don't think Anderson is scared, maybe a bit wary, but not scared. I think he really feels that Chael is not deserving, and I kind of agree with him too. If I had fought someone before who had decided to use PED's against me, there is no way I'd ever want to fight him again too!

[jbleedin]

I don't think Anderson is scared, maybe a bit wary, but not scared. I think he really feels that Chael is not deserving, and I kind of agree with him too. If I had fought someone before who had decided to use PED's against me, there is no way I'd ever want to fight him again too!

I don't think he's scared, either. I do think that he is using the "doesn't deserve to fight me again" argument because of the fact that Sonnen battered him for 4 1/2 rounds the first time. I definitely think Sonnen deserves a rematch. He beat 2 top 10 MW fighters recently and obviously gave Silva all he could handle the 1st time.

[BluenoseGreig]

I agree, Sonnen served his punishment and came back with 2 solid wins, he has put himself in a position to get the rematch. I do kind of agree with the 'he doesn't deserve a rematch' purely based on the fact he used PED's in the first fight, but like I said, Sonnen has served a punishment...there is no more he can do! Now if he gets caught again, he should never set foot in a cage again...but that's another debate altogether!!!

[Red Tex]

I don't think Anderson is scared, maybe a bit wary, but not scared. I think he really feels that Chael is not deserving, and I kind of agree with him too. If I had fought someone before who had decided to use PED's against me, there is no way I'd ever want to fight him again too!

Not deserving? He took his suspension just like everyone else has who has gotten back into MMA after a suspension. He fought two of the better guys in the division as well. Had Chael not gotten suspended he was going to get an immediate rematch, but he has beaten two really good opponents since than. THere is no argument to be made that he doesn't deserve another shot especially when many consider that fight as a win for Chael since he dominated it for 4.9 rounds.