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UFC 117 - Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen - LIVE on PPV 8/7 - 7pm PT/10pm ET

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Musashi Wins!

FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
Sonnen clearly beat the hell out of Silva before the incredible submission. I honestly don't see how anyone could see it differently. He's never been tested like that in the UFC. He even looked bad in their striking exchanges. But he pulled off one of the most lifesaving tapouts in memory, even more amazing than Lesnar's in my opinion. Talk about some amazing fights this year. Maybe the most memorable year ever so far and we're in August.

Other (were there other?) fights...

-I guess the Nelson vs dos Santos fight went the way it was supposed to. I can't believe that Nelson survived that beating. I actually thought that Junior looked more varied and impressive, but I can't see him hanging with Lesnar or Carwin.

-Hughes had a great win. I dog him for becoming boring and tentative, and there was not much boring about that win. Nice.

-Great win for Guida. I think dos Anjos is above average on the feet and ground and he looked calm enough to weather the storm. But Guida works and he hurt him. Case closed.

-I'm not sure what to think about Struve. He's young and he loves to fight, but he is getting too beat up. He needs to learn to leverage his abilities better and stop receiving power shots. Impressive come from behind against a game Moorehead, but damn.

-Fitch does what Fitch does. And it's not fun for anyone but Fitch. St. Pierre is probably his only kryptonite.
 

Hex

Banned
It is odd to see the word "dominated" used so much, odd because one one hand I agree but on the other hand I can't.
In points? Absolutely. In eating the clock? Absolutely.
But the thing that keeps coming back to me is looking at Silva through the whole thing, he was never worried.
Never did he look scared and never did he look concerned, and hell he never really looked damaged outside of that shot in the first round.


Edit: Can also not agree that Sonnen looked better in the striking exchanges outside of the first.
Hell, Silva did more damage with far less punches and elbows from the ground and in fact I think it was a punch to the grill that led to the sub.
 
^^^ I can see what you saying. On the one hand Chael utterly controlled the fight, and was constantly working. But throughout the fight Silva kept working from the bottom, looking for the sub.

As far as a rematch goes, i don't think an immediate one is needed. But from a business standpoint, how could they not have one? And if Chael ends up winning that, then the inevitable rubber match, will do even bigger numbers.
 

woodypop

Member
Cuz I got botp'ed...

woodypop said:
When will this get replayed? I would LOVE to see it all again.

(I'm kinda new to this, so I don't know how soon it gets shown again after the live broadcast.)
 

charsace

Member
Hex said:
It is odd to see the word "dominated" used so much, odd because one one hand I agree but on the other hand I can't.
In points? Absolutely. In eating the clock? Absolutely.
But the thing that keeps coming back to me is looking at Silva through the whole thing, he was never worried.
Never did he look scared and never did he look concerned, and hell he never really looked damaged outside of that shot in the first round.


Edit: Can also not agree that Sonnen looked better in the striking exchanges outside of the first.
Hell, Silva did more damage with far less punches and elbows from the ground and in fact I think it was a punch to the grill that led to the sub.
Silva didn't do more damage. I don't know why people automatically think blood=more damage. Silva was rocked a few times on the feet and on the ground. Silva took more punches overall. Silva has sharp elbows and Sonnen probably has scar tissue on his face.

Please guys stop the nonsense Sonnen wasn't hurt.
 
Hex said:
Edit: Can also not agree that Sonnen looked better in the striking exchanges outside of the first.
Hell, Silva did more damage with far less punches and elbows from the ground and in fact I think it was a punch to the grill that led to the sub.
What about all the brutal elbows and postured-up punches that Sonnen landed throughout the fight? The crowd was oohing and aahing for every one of those and Silva showed no ability to defend them. Some of them would have definitely finished a good number of guys in the division. As charsace said, elbows tend to cut people quite easily and Sonnen never looked hurt.
 

Saty

Member
y2dvd said:
Were we watching the same match? Sonnen took Silva down and did nothing? He was one of the most active wrestler I've seen in awhile. Sure, he landed a lot of pepper shots, but he also got in several good shots on the ground.

Yeah, he had good shots but they were too far and between for my taste. There were several occasions during the match the ref. needed to stand them up because there wasn't really anything being done (even the crowd started with 'Stand Them Up' chants).
Sonnen may have been active but it wasn't leading to anywhere, he was keen in taking Silva down and just keep him there. In that sense he reminded me of Fitch and were he to win the match, i wouldn't have been teribly impressed and in any case, a second fight between the two would work in favour of Silva.
 
BigKaboom2 said:
I really don't think his conditioning is a problem. Any fighter would slow way down after eating those uppercuts from JDS in the first round.

True but Dos Santo wasn't as on point in the second and third (especially third). If he had conserved some gas or had Guida's conditioning, he MIGHT (big might as being in the octagon is a huge workout) have been able to land one of his patented bombs in the third. But I give him props for withstanding that onslaught.
 
Spiderjericho said:
True but Dos Santo wasn't as on point in the second and third (especially third). If he had conserved some gas or had Guida's conditioning, he MIGHT (big might as being in the octagon is a huge workout) have been able to land one of his patented bombs in the third. But I give him props for withstanding that onslaught.
Yeah, I agree with that as well. Arlovski showed that Nelson can be KO'd - JDS just didn't have the cardio to do it.
 

charsace

Member
Saty said:
Yeah, he had good shots but they were too far and between for my taste. There were several occasions during the match the ref. needed to stand them up because there wasn't really anything being done (even the crowd started with 'Stand Them Up' chants).
Sonnen may have been active but it wasn't leading to anywhere, he was keen in taking Silva down and just keep him there. In that sense he reminded me of Fitch and were he to win the match, i wouldn't have been teribly impressed and in any case, a second fight between the two would work in favour of Silva.
This is wrong. Sonnen tried to put Silva away. He landed some heavy shots on Silva when he took him down. Silva just has a good chin.
 

Musashi Wins!

FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
Silva sure as hell looked worried and hurt to me at times. Especially when he got put on his back which was most the fight, taking strikes which sometimes bounced his head off the mat. Honestly, this fight wouldn't have been half as incredible as it was without the drama of seeing him take an honest beating. I agree he's calm in the sense of being a champion who can tap a guy out after being struck and manhandled for 4.5 rounds, but after watching the fight a couple times I can't even fathom how an observer could see it other ways.
 

Brian Fellows

Pete Carroll Owns Me
Sonnen didn't do shit after the first round. It was the same harmless bullshit over and over. He couldn't have finished a bad flyweight with that weak ass GnP.
 

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
jakncoke said:
Dunno if this been posted, Junios Dos Santos seems like a cool guy. And is it me or does he kind look like Randy Orton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E0NG7A-zrw&feature=popular
yep i've been so impressed every time i've seen him talk. always super respectful and cool. pretty much impossible not to be a fan of the guy. i will definitely be pulling for him against lesnar/velazquez although i sure as hell won't be putting any money behind that :lol
 

Hex

Banned
Musashi Wins! said:
Silva sure as hell looked worried and hurt to me at times. Especially when he got put on his back which was most the fight, taking strikes which sometimes bounced his head off the mat. Honestly, this fight wouldn't have been half as incredible as it was without the drama of seeing him take an honest beating. I agree he's calm in the sense of being a champion who can tap a guy out after being struck and manhandled for 4.5 rounds, but after watching the fight a couple times I can't even fathom how an observer could see it other ways.

You may be right, I just think I saw irritation and frustration more than worried and hurt.
 

EYEL1NER

Member
Comparing Sonnen's performance in the fight to a LnPer? Saying he was just trying to eat up the clock and gain points? Laying there not doing anything? SMH :lol

I was hoping that Sonnen would go into the 5th round with that attitude, because if he had gone into it looking to score points and play it safe, he would have won. I am pretty impressed that he went into the 5th looking to take Silva out. But he got caught. It was pointed out several times by Joe and Mike and obvious to anyone watching that he was leaving his arm out there for too long, getting in too close for too long, etc. There were a couple times were I was worried Silva would grab onto something. And it happened.

The question was asked earlier if people were watching the same fight and now I am convinced there was some other guys named Silva and Sonnen that fought that night on some other channel.
 

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
I was hoping that Sonnen would go into the 5th round with that attitude, because if he had gone into it looking to score points and play it safe, he would have won. I am pretty impressed that he went into the 5th looking to take Silva out.

Not a Sonnen fan myself but I've said that same thing many times. Only reason he ever got hurt and the only reason he got caught with the sub was because he was trying to get into a position to do damage. End the fight? Nope. Even Sonnen said he would win but not end it. But he was always trying to put the hurt on Silva even if a lot of the strikes were weak (not because of his lack of commitment but b/c of Silva's defense). He got fucked up worse than Nate in the last fight for the same reason. He's also gotten subbed so many times for the same reason. If he was more strategic he'd have a lot fewer losses on his record and probably a belt.
 
Brian Fellows said:
Sonnen didn't do shit after the first round. It was the same harmless bullshit over and over. He couldn't have finished a bad flyweight with that weak ass GnP.

19496016.gif

2lu2cyp.gif
 
Host Samurai said:
Why not a Roy Nelson vs Crocop fight?

I think Nelson would beat Crocop. Crocop just seems tentative and meek, a shadow of his Pride days.

I'd say the same about Rampage but he's morphed into a brawler/puncher, which is why he got lnp by Rashad and destroyed by leg kicks by Forrest. I don't think he has a chance against Machida. If he maybe integrates Muay Thai/kicks, he might stand a chance, imo.
 

Hex

Banned
BigKaboom2 said:
http://67.202.71.95/images/19496016.gif
http://i37.tinypic.com/2lu2cyp.gif

Nice shots abd you would think that they would be brutal
How could he have lost?
Is Silva's chin that super human that he can take such a brutal beating and leave with barely a mark or is Sonnen just incapable of finishing fights?
I know , the next thing that will be said is "he didn't want to finish it".
 

y2dvd

Member
Saty said:
Yeah, he had good shots but they were too far and between for my taste. There were several occasions during the match the ref. needed to stand them up because there wasn't really anything being done (even the crowd started with 'Stand Them Up' chants).
Sonnen may have been active but it wasn't leading to anywhere, he was keen in taking Silva down and just keep him there. In that sense he reminded me of Fitch and were he to win the match, i wouldn't have been teribly impressed and in any case, a second fight between the two would work in favour of Silva.

I never thought for once should the ref stand them up, and if you look at my post history, I'm usually the first to say they need to break up 15 seconds of inaction. He reminded me of nothing like Fitch. I think the takedowns and GnP went somewhere. It hella made Silva's standup sloppy. Dude did 2 jumpkicks, 1 of which was countered, and a looping haymaker which I never recall him throwing.

I actually brought up to a buddy that studies BJJ on how unbattered Silva looked after the fight. He just says some people bruise easier than others. You could definitely see post fight interview Silva's face grimmancing in pain.
 

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
Surprised there hasn't been much mention of Okami as a next opponent. Via Sherdog:
There are three credible challengers for Anderson at 185 pounds: Vitor Belfort, Yushin Okami and Chael Sonnen in a rematch. A superfight against Georges St. Pierre appears to be pretty much off the table, as is another excursion into the 205-pound weight division. With the Belfort fight likely saved for the return of UFC Brazil next year, Okami, who was spurned for most of his UFC run due to his conservative style, seems to be in the driver’s seat to be the next opponent for the champion.
http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/UFC-117-Silva-vs-Sonnen-Analysis-The-Main-Card-26192

I know it wouldn't go over that well with the Lesnar and inverse-triangle crew but I'd love to see it. Sonnen beat Okami but said even up to a few months ago that he'd never want to face him again and that he'd lose 9/10 times to him now. Okami is both a better striker and has much better ground defense than Sonnen. In their bout, Sonnen showed better wrestling but that difference would only be material against another world-class wrestler (and Sonnen said the difference isn't there anymore anyway). Provided he could avoid getting destructed on the feet (unlikely), he'd have a really good chance of winning it on the ground. If he did pull it off, would also be the UFC's first Japanese champion, which would be kinda cool. I still don't think it'll happen though. Probably looking at Sonnen, then Belfort, then if Okami wins two more in the meantime he gets a shot against whoever has the belt after Silva retires.
 

Hex

Banned
y2dvd said:
I never thought for once should the ref stand them up, and if you look at my post history, I'm usually the first to say they need to break up 15 seconds of inaction. He reminded me of nothing like Fitch. I think the takedowns and GnP went somewhere. It hella made Silva's standup sloppy. Dude did 2 jumpkicks, 1 of which was countered, and a looping haymaker which I never recall him throwing.

I actually brought up to a buddy that studies BJJ on how unbattered Silva looked after the fight. He just says some people bruise easier than others. You could definitely see post fight interview Silva's face grimmancing in pain.

Yeah I do not get the stuff about him not being busy and all, he definitely stayed busy and did his thing.
 

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
dralla said:
big country vs winner of mir/nog
maybe it doesn't mean anything anymore but dana did say that loser of jds-roy gets carwin several weeks ago. i'd prefer to see roy-crocop actually, probably b/c i like roy a lot but consider him one very clear rung below contendership and just someone who should be put into entertaining fights
 
y2dvd said:
I actually brought up to a buddy that studies BJJ on how unbattered Silva looked after the fight. He just says some people bruise easier than others. You could definitely see post fight interview Silva's face grimmancing in pain.
Look at BJ Penn, he's the same. Even after the beating he took from GSP, his face was only slightly puffed and he had one tiny little cut. Although, he did get cut and bruised from the Edgar fight afterward. It was hard to see it on Anderson, but it was there. He was pretty beat up. This fight might have an effect on future fights as well.

On the other hand, Chael is a bleeder, just like to Stephan Bonnar. Just touch him and he'll open up.
 

Saty

Member
Yeah, exactly. I expected the head-banging attack. But if you're making GIF's, make sure you make ones from the start of each round where Silva is dazing Sonnen.

About standing them up, i don't know it seemed to me as long periods of time went by with nothing substantial, i guess Sonnen dropped some fists then and there exactly to show his working in order to keep the fight on the mat.

In brief, Sonnen preformed way better than expected and personally i pretty much accepted Silva was going to lose in the second half of the match, but having said that, i wasn't too impressed with what Sonnen dished out and while Silva was on his back he seemed dangerous, timing his attempts for submissions and etc. At the end of the day, even if Sonnen had won, it wasn't that effective or convincing for me, especially if it's against a champion and for the belt (again the Machida-Rua fight).

In my eyes, more than Sonnen putting on a good show, for the people it was about Silva getting spanked and wanting him to lose.
 

Afrikan

Member
funny gif I came across on Sherdog...:lol

200cye8.gif


but like I said over there.....not laughing at Sonnen, more so the gif.

I don't feel bad for the guy, and I don't think he would want me to...he made a mistake, but at the same time proved himself for 4+ rounds.....can't wait to see him fight again.
 

Fio

Member
I just watched the fight again and noticed how much Sonnen needs to improve his sub defense. During round 4 he left his left arm hanging over Silva's chest almost like he wanted to get caught in a triangle or armbar, I'm really surprised Silva didn't try to pull some sub during that moment.

If some day Sonnen happens to be the champion it'll be just to see Maia taking it away from him like an adult taking candy from a child. Too bad Sonnen's too macho to train BJJ.
 

Fafnir

Member
+1 for a Sonnen rematch. He's the only one that made Silva look human. If BJ can get a immediate rematch then so should Sonnen. Let Belfort fight Okami for #1 contender status.
 

AstroLad

Hail to the KING baby
Fafnir said:
+1 for a Sonnen rematch. He's the only one that made Silva look human. If BJ can get a immediate rematch then so should Sonnen. Let Belfort fight Okami for #1 contender status.
i would love okami-belfort but i know that wouldn't be popular here. i just think silva tools anyone who isn't a world-class wrestler
 

Not a Jellyfish

but I am a sheep
Zeke said:
even in those gifs Silva isn't looking too worried :lol

He is either disoriented or has a hell of chin because that second gif is a big shot that even causes his head to knock off the canvas.

As someone who actively trains in MMA as a hobby as I know fellow gaffers that do, it never feels good to have the back or side of your head bounce off the canvas like that. :lol

As much I was actually pulling for Sonnen in the fight, I have to give Silva all the credit in the world because he showed true composure in tough situations, like a great champion should. Both fighters earned a lot of respect in my eyes.
 

Fafnir

Member
I feel bad for Okami as he deserves a shot, but Dana knows that fight won't sell PPVs. Belfort had one fight vs Franklin then got injured, he needs a tuneup fight at least.

I would rather see Belfort vs Silva as well, but Sonnen deserves the rematch. Plus Ed Soares really does not want a rematch so I think Dana needs to show him who's boss.
 

Zeke

Member
Not a Jellyfish said:
He is either disoriented or has a hell of chin because that second gif is a big shot that even causes his head to knock off the canvas.

As someone who actively trains in MMA as a hobby as I know fellow gaffers that do, it never feels good to have the back or side of your head bounce off the canvas like that. :lol

As much I was actually pulling for Sonnen in the fight, I have to give Silva all the credit in the world because he showed true composure in tough situations, like a great champion should. Both fighters earned a lot of respect in my eyes.
I'd go with hell of a chin he's proven that a few times already.
 

pel1300

Member
Chael is the most hilarious personality to ever grace MMA. I'm so bummed he got careless in rd 5.

Just listen to his opening line in this trash talk compilation...freakn brilliant delivery. The actual quotes aren't that great, but the way he says it is hilarious

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFpePVQ68FM

"Anderson Silva is easily the most unpopular fighter in this company" :lol

"When Anderson walks into a room you could hear a rat piss on cotton" :lol

"Anderson's a fraud. He's a liar...and he's a thief" --how random was that? hahaha
 

op_ivy

Fallen Xbot (cannot continue gaining levels in this class)
finally saw the fights earlier tonight and remained spoiler free until then. LOTS of holy shit moments. i still cant believe hughes submitted almeida! :lol

of course the silva sonnen fight is what everyones going to talk about, and clearly sonnen walked all over anderson for 23-24 minutes of that fight. lol @ the lnp talk, cheal was lighting him up, staying active on the ground, and landing some fierce shit. kudos to anderson to hanging in there and finally getting that sub in that he had been setting up for some time.

i see silva is out till early '11, is there any confirmation anderson had a broken rib, as his excuse was post-fight?

but as close and exciting as that was, please no immediate rematch. i hate that shit, give some one else a shot and me a new fight to see. besides, chael will likely win an opportunity to try again in the not so distant future.
 

pel1300

Member
His rib was not broken or cracked before the fight, just bruised.

But after the fight, he got an x ray and it showed a cracked rib.

so something happened during the fight that caused the crack.
 
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