With his fire to earn redemption against Anderson Silva still burning bright, Chael Sonnen is diving right back into the deep end, but one former MMA champion isn’t too confident in his chances.
While almost 12 years have passed since the pair of sporting titans were last locked in a cage together, their iconic feud still holds a special place in the hearts of combat sports enthusiasts around the globe.
Ben Askren fears for Chael Sonnen in his boxing match with Anderson Silva
While UFC fans may remember Ben Askren for his horrifying loss at the hands of Jorge Masvidal, or even his KO defeat in boxing to Jake Paul, hardcore followers of combat sports know exactly what ‘Funky’ was capable of.
From competing at the Olympic Games in wrestling, to dominating the world of MMA in Bellator and One Championship, Askren has put together a tremendous legacy. Therefore, while his UFC run, which came far too late into his career, has left somewhat of a stain on his previous achievements, there’s no doubt he knows what he’s talking about.
Issuing a stark warning during an episode of his podcast with Daniel Cormier, ‘Funky and The Champ’, Askren said: “Chael, I love you, I don’t know why you’re boxing. At least when I took my boxing fight, I thought [Jake Paul] sucked…
“I really don’t know why Chael’s doing it. Anderson is a very good striker; he’s actually had multiple boxing matches and beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.”
Chael Sonnen vs Anderson Silva set to deliver the third installment of their classic feud
On June 15 in São Paulo, Brazil, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will put it all on the line in a contest dripping with nostalgia.
When the pair first crossed paths all the way back in 2010, ‘The American Gangster’ won the hearts of the public with his remarkable skills on the mic.
With Muhammad Ali-esque powers of charisma, Sonnen ran verbal rings around his iconic opponent, dominating the mind games in a series of press conferences that have gone down in UFC folklore.
Alas, while the West Linn, Oregon, native certainly knew a thing or two about talking the talk, very few thought he genuinely had a shot of dethroning the champion.
After all, at that point in time, nobody could. Blessed with a remarkable array of strikes and unrivaled footwork, the combat sports sensation left his foes in a state of complete and utter disarray, making them miss and ultimately pay with his fearsome power shots.
Yet somehow, when Sonnen and Silva eventually set foot in the cage, the underdog overcame all the odds and produced a scintillating shower, tearing ‘The Spider’ apart in one of the greatest exhibitions of martial arts the middleweight division had ever seen.
But with just four minutes left before his crowning moment, the challenger made a vital error that allowed Silva to lock up a submission and consequently end his arch nemesis’ hopes and dreams.
And while a rematch occurred two years later, Sonnen couldn’t attain the same level of success and lost via TKO in the second round.
Since that day, the trash talker has craved his opportunity for revenge, but by the sounds of things, the challenge ahead, will be anything but
Anderson Silva looks fantastic ahead of his boxing bout with Chael Sonnen
While Silva isn’t quite the athlete he once was, it’s clear the opportunity to teach Sonnen another lesson has given him the motivation to get back in fighting shape.
The exhibition contest, which will take place over five two-minute rounds at a catchweight of 216lb, is scheduled to be the last of the UFC Hall of Famer’s marvelous career.
Training intensely alongside his sons Gabriel and Kalyl, the latter of whom features on the undercard, the Brazilian hero is ready for business.
Due to the shortened length of the rounds, Silva is prepared to fight at a frantic pace as he aims to put his rivalry with Sonnen to bed once and for all.
And according to his coach, Luiz Dorea, he’s rolled back the years with his terrific physical condition.