Chael Sonnen explains why he's boxing Anderson Silva

05/24/2024 02:07 PM

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen fought twice inside the octagon.  Their trilogy match will take place inside the boxing ring.  

The two first fought at UFC 117 in August 2010.  It was Silva's eighth title defense and Sonnen dominated Silva for 22 minutes.  In the final round, Silva locked on a triangle choke after being taken down and finished Sonnen pulling victory out of the clutches of defeat.  

The two rematched two years later at UFC 148 in 2012.  Silva stopped Sonnen in the second round.  Despite Silva winning both bouts, their rivalry was one of the greatest in the promotion's history.  

Once the trilogy boxing match was signed, many questioned why Sonnen would agree to box the prolific striker.  Sonnen answered the question on his YouTube channel.

"I have my own personal reasons against Anderson and I would imagine they're not even.  I think about that man for the last 12 years at every single day at some point," Sonnen said.  "I don't think he thinks about tme.  My experience with Anderson is the single most important piece of my career.  Whether that means something to your or not, it was my career, it means something to me and without him it doesn't work."

To Sonnen, accepting a boxing match against Silva was a no-brainer.  The rules do not matter to Sonnen.  The environment the fight takes place in isn't a concern.  Sonnen simply will fight Silva anywhere, anytime and under any rules.      

"There is a code and either you'll understand it or you won't," Sonnen said.  "Here's the answer to your question.  If there is ever a time that I am breathing air on this Earth and that man wants to fight me, I must fight him.  Not everybody.  Not anybody.  If that man ever asks me to fight him, I must fight him, and you either get that or you don't."