UFC 148 - July 7th @ 10PM ET

[VolBuck24]

Originally Posted by VOLtage

Actually, Silva has had another guy bring the fight to him. Ask Griffin how that turned out. There is nothing more that Sonnen can bring that he didn't the last time they fought. A more motivated than he has been in years Silva will bring the world down on Sonnen.

This

[VOLtage]

Originally Posted by orangetanker11

Sure Sonnen can bring something that he didnt bring last time. He will bring the knowledge that he can beat Silva, and that he did beat Silva standing and on the ground for 4 1/2 rounds. Sonnen is in Silva's head big time.

While I understand where you are coming from I disagree. Saying that Sonnen will win because he brings the knowledge that he can beat Silva is like saying Craig Ehlo will successfully defend Michael Jordan just because he stopped Jordan on a couple possessions during the game.

Also, I think Silva has learned how to stop Chael from moving him, like what happened in the first fight. My reasoning for this is Silva's last fight against Yushin Okami. Okami is widely regarded as possibly the strongest middleweight in the UFC, and Okami trained with Chael to prepare for Silva. While I don't think that Okami's wrestling skill is as good as Sonnen's, I did not see Anderson even have to struggle to avoid the take downs Okami tried, which were done to duplicate Sonnen's method.

Lastly, .... do you really want to be in the head of the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Like, I can understand why you want to get into the head of any other opponent, but messing with Silva is like messing with King Leonidas. You better be prepared to get kicked down a deep well.

[orangetanker11]

I understand your point, but I disagree. Did you watch the first fight? Chael had no problems taking the fight to the ground. He won't have any problems this time either. The first fight wasn't a close fight. Not by a longshot. I don't get now why people think Anderson will "destroy" Chael. What moment from that first fight gives you that impression? Also, "pound for pound" is a bunch of nonsense. There is no way to know who is better across weight classes.

[VOLtage]

I'm not looking at just that fight, I'm looking at the total of the two careers. Till Sonnen, Anderson had essentially only clearly lost one round to an opponent, Henderson. When I last saw the two fight I saw an unmotivated and injured Silva verse a guy with an illegal testosterone level 17 times that of a normal person. That falls outside the range of allowance for someone who even has been cleared for testosterone replacement therapy. This time Silva is ready for anything Chael will throw at him. Also, so what if Silva gets taken to the ground. He'll submit Chael like he did the first time, and like he did against Henderson.

[VOLtage]

UFC.com is showing the first fight for free.

[bentenn]

Originally Posted by VOLtage

UFC.com is showing the first fight for free.

First fight of the event or the first Silva Sonnen fight?

[volinreallife]

Originally Posted by VOLtage

I'm not looking at just that fight, I'm looking at the total of the two careers. Till Sonnen, Anderson had essentially only clearly lost one round to an opponent, Henderson. When I last saw the two fight I saw an unmotivated and injured Silva verse a guy with an illegal testosterone level 17 times that of a normal person. That falls outside the range of allowance for someone who even has been cleared for testosterone replacement therapy. This time Silva is ready for anything Chael will throw at him. Also, so what if Silva gets taken to the ground. He'll submit Chael like he did the first time, and like he did against Henderson.

The 17 times the normal level comes from his Piss test not a blood test, which is where it should come from, from what I have read.

[VOLtage]

Originally Posted by bentenn

First fight of the event or the first Silva Sonnen fight?

Silva Sonnen fight. But I don't see it up there anymore.

[TOP]

Silva vs. Sonnen I


The fight starts at 54:00

[TOP]

I watched the fight again and you know, I think it will be all Silva.

Sonnen basically won the first 4 rounds. But during those rounds, Silva had him in position to tap him out a couple of times.

Sonnen threw the kitchen sink at him. He was tagging him, he was dropping elbows on the ground, he was throwing bombs on the ground, he was kneeing him on the ground.

4.5 rounds later, the champion tapped him out.

I get it.......... Sonnen did his thing for 4+ rounds.

But get this........... Silva has been training for it.

While everyone is quick to say that Sonnen owned him, what about the fact that Sonnen might have blown his only chance to throw Silva off guard? He threw everything he had at Silva and Silva still had enough to finish him in round 5.

That does not mean I don't think Sonnen can't beat Silva. It was a great fight. But let's not pretend like Sonnen can use the same game plan to beat the world champion. You know that Silva and has team have watched the fights also and he has trained for everything that Sonnen threw at him. Sonnen's fight worked in the first fight but Silva has been prepping to stop it.

I was pulling for Sonnen in the first fight but let's quit acting like Silva isn't one of the most dominant champions for a reason. Those take downs... Silva has been working on preventing it for half a year.

I'm not a Silva fan but it is what it is. Sonnen can beat him but let's not pretend it's going to be the same as the first fight. Not to mention, Silva looked lethargic in the first fight. As if he got used to being undefeated in the UFC and underestimated Sonnen.

Let's just say that Sonnen deserves the title if he wins. I think Silva is coming out in the best shape he's been in, in at least 2 years. He may not break arms or knock out teeth but I'm buying that's he's pissed, and not in a way that Sonnen is under his skin.

I've got Silva in 3 or less.

[orangetanker11]

Regardless of whether Silva trained and studied for Sonnen's takedowns is moot. Silva's reign is soon coming to an end. The first fight wasn't close. Chael will impose his will, fight his fight (again) and defend his title. This fight, just like the first, will not be close. The gangster from the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon will have his hand raised and have the best seat in the house for Anderson's translated retirement speech from the mouth of the hated Ed Soares. And it will be well worth the $54.99 to see it live on PPV.

[TOP]

Originally Posted by orangetanker11

Regardless of whether Silva trained and studied for Sonnen's takedowns is moot. Silva's reign is soon coming to an end. The first fight wasn't close. Chael will impose his will, fight his fight (again) and defend his title. This fight, just like the first, will not be close. The gangster from the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon will have his hand raised and have the best seat in the house for Anderson's translated retirement speech from the mouth of the hated Ed Soares. And it will be well worth the $54.99 to see it live on PPV.

It's certainly possible that Sonnen will win.

He can easily tag Silva and pummel him to a win.

I just don't think fight 2 will be the same as fight 1 what so ever.

What I really took from watching fight 1 was that Silva just looked awful and Sonnen beat the piss out of him but it still wasn't enough. It's not like Silva rebounded from a 1st round beat down, he took everything Sonnen threw at him for 4 rounds and was still able to finish Sonnen in the 5th round. That's how you know Silva is on a special level. Again, I'm not a Silva fan at all but not many fighters can get their face smashed in and then respond in the 5th round like it's nothing.

We'll see, sould be a good fight. Honestly, it could be a quick fight for that matter.

I'm just not sure fight 1 is indicative of what fight 2 will be. Maybe it will be though?? Who knows. I'm guessing Silva will be more prepared. He's 14-0 for a reason in the UFC with 5 KO's, 4 TKO's and 3 Submissions. He's finished 12 of 14 fights. That's impressive.

I really don't think Sonnen will be able to continually take Silva down like he did in the first fight. I think Silva is going to prepare for that to no end.

[TOP]

Also, if you watch the fight again... Silva really did nothing to Sonnen in the first two rounds and Sonnen's eye was really messed up to start the 3rd round. By the final round, he had a huge gash above his eye.

Even when it looked like Silva was getting destroyed, Sonnen still looked beat up at the end of the fight while Silva looked fine. Silva is just deadly and knows how to pick his spots. That's how he got the tap out in the 5th round. He really did come close to tapping out Sonnen in an earlier round too.

Going to be a good one.

[VOLtage]

I agree that Sonnen COULD win, but I don't see it happening at all. He's pushed too many of Silva's wrong buttons. I wouldn't be surprised if Silva starts playing with Sonnen if Silva gets his confidence early in the fight.

The only reason I would want Sonnen to win is so there would be a third fight. There is no way Silva is going to retire if he loses.

[TOP]

Starting to think the smack talk is just to hype up the fight and sell tickets. For two guys that claim they absolutely hate each other, they sure did a lot of hugging at the end of their last fight.