Wanderlei Silva believes Chael Sonnen fight may still eventually happen, says he ‘retired just for now’

Although it would appear that Chael Sonnen’s professional career as a Mixed Martial Artist is complete, Wanderlei Silva is still convinced that his longtime nemesis will still weasel his way back to the octagon once he competes his suspension.

“I think he retired just for now, I think after finishing his suspension, he’s gonna (come) back,” Wand told Submission Radio. “I hope this fight is gonna happen.”

Sonnen initially failed a random drug test in February for Clomiphene and Anastrozole. When the results were released, Sonnen proclaimed that he required the banned substances to help kick start his natural testosterone production after going off Testosterone Replacement Therapy. This time around, he tested positive for Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO).

The three-time title challenger was handed a two-year suspension for those consecutive failed drug tests but was not forced to pay a monetary penalty.

Although Silva is also dealing with his own issues with Nevada State Athletic Commission, mainly that he avoided a random drug test, he suggested that Sonnen’s positive drug tests were bad for the sport as a whole.

“Yeah this is bad for everyone, bad for him, bad for me, bad for the fans who want so much that fight. But I’m gonna (be) waiting for him.”

While Silva is primarily interested in match-ups against Sonnen and Vitor Belfort, he has no issues facing another opponent such as Luke Barnatt in the meantime. He plans on competing for another few years, which theoretically gives him enough time to face all the opponents he is interested in. As long as he remains healthy, he will continue to step inside the octagon.

“I think that in the last two fights I made the two bonuses, the fight of the night and knockout of the night. You know I make my fights exciting and I’m really entertaining, and I’m still fighting good. And when the body’s working good, I’ll go. When I can’t do it anymore, I’ll try and do other things. Right now it’s good for me.”

Transcription taken from Submission Radio.