Chael Sonnen: Winning Over the Fans, but Can He Beat Anderson Silva?

Chael Sonnen gets his title shot in facing Anderson Silva at UFC 117

I’ve been a UFC fan since its inception and not long ago didn’t know who in hell Chael Sonnen was. When I did get to know him as a fighter I didn’t much like what I saw. He was old-school ground and pound, his speech was stilted and drawn out and he was a politician – Strike one, strike two, strike three, he’s out. But winds have shifted the sands and suddenly Sonnen has it going on.

In spite of a submission loss to Demian Maia, Sonnen’s control and win over Nate Marquardt was impressive. After that win, Sonnen had more opportunity to display his gift of gab, which has won him even more fans. Another major shift in his favor was Anderson Silva’s ridiculous spectacle in his Maia fight.

Chael Sonnen dominated Nate Marquardt for three rounds at UFC 109 in February and is now next in line for a middleweight title shot.

Silva was one of the most beloved champions in the sport until his debacle in the octagon with  Maia. In a very short time Sonnen has won over fans while Silva has lost them. That in and of itself was a spectacular development. If Sonnen defeats Silva, another star will be born and Silva will have to patch a personae once thought impermeable.

Don’t bet against Silva. In spite of the fact Sonnen will have watched the Silva/Henderson fight tape a thousand times during training camp, it’s doubtful he’ll find anything different to do. What he can hope for is to implement the take down, hold down and beat down better than Hendo did. Rumor from his training camp is that this is a distinct possibility. 

Anderson Silva is the best striker in the UFC, period. What allows him to showcase his stellar stand-up is his incredible BJJ, aided by his long limbs, evident because even when he is taken down, as in his fight with Hendo, or mounted by BJJ ace Travis Lutter, it is almost impossible to put the hurt on him. And if he ever gets up and stays up, forget about it.

Throughout the history of the UFC we have seen wrestlers beat world class strikers and strikers who come along to survive world class wrestlers. This fight is in a different realm altogether. Silva ranks a 10 out of 10 in striking and in BJJ. He submitted Hendo more easily than Big Nog did in their PRIDE fight. So, how do you beat Silva, and what would it mean if you did?

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If Sonnen beats Silva it will be with heart and mind, rather than a better skill set, in the manner of Ali, who brought to bear anything that might get in the head of his often much larger, more powerful, if less technically skilled opponents. A Sonnen victory  will tear through the mixed martial arts community like a tornado through a trailer park, because athletes are always looking for an advantage over their opponent, any way to squeeze that last drop of juice.

By Renko Styranka
ProFighting-fans.com MMA Staff Writer