10 Legendary MMA Fighters You've Probably Never Heard Of

Tag: Chael Sonnen

Wanderlei Silva Tells Chael Sonnen to Watch His Mouth When Talking About Brazil


(Video courtesy YouTube/WandFightTeam)

*Editor’s note: Turn down your volume before pressing play or Burt Watson will scare the shit out of you.

If you’ve never watched any of the episodes from Wanderlei Silva’s video blog series, you’re missing out. It gives a rare and uncut glimpse into Wand’s life and his thoughts on the sport and his career.

The latest one takes place during the pre-fight media blitz ahead of Ultimate Fight Night 22 in Texas last week, but the best part is something that happened behind the scenes during a limo ride from one event to another. At around the 3:53 mark the usually quiet and cordial in person "The Axe Murderer" confronts Chael Sonnen about his recent bashing of Brazilian MMA luminaries Antonio Rogerio and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira when he said that earning a black belt from the two is like getting a Happy Meal toy from MacDonald’s.

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Silva’s Manager Says Anderson’s Ribs Still Aren’t Healed; Belfort Fight Might Not Happen Until February 5


(Video courtesy MMAWeekly)

When UFC president Dana White confirmed that Vitor Belfort would be stepping in to face Anderson Silva next while Chael Sonnen tries to talk himself out of a one-year suspension for testing positive for steroids, one piece of info that he left out was when we can expect the fight to go down.

Silva’s manager, Ed Soares revealed in an interview with MMAWeekly yesterday that Anderson is still experiencing pain in the rib he injured in his four-and-a-half round war with Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 and he may not be ready in time for UFC 125 on January 1 so the fight may have to wait until February 5.

"His rib is stil very tender. They’re very sore. That’s what I’m talking to him about. It’s still a bit sore, but it’s healing up. It’s still not 100 percent. He needs to be training at least 10 weeks with his ribs not being hurt. It’s still tender and it really hurts [him] to throw knees and stuff like that," Soares explained. "I think at this point, we don’t know what date it’s going to be. It’s definitely going to be some time next year. We just don’t know if it’s going to be January first or SuperBowl weekend."

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Here’s a Crazy Idea: Maybe the UFC Should Test Fighters for Steroids, HGH


(Whatever could have been done to prevent this terrible tragedy?!? PicProps: Fightertrends.com)

One of the more interesting side effects of the report this week that Chael Sonnen’s urine tested way, way too manly at UFC 117 is that pretty much everybody in the industry got the chance to weigh in on MMA’s “steroid problem.” From Bloody Elbow’s suggestion that the sport just “accept” steroids in order to regulate them to Kevin Iole’s idea that promoters start funneling money to state athletic commissions for better testing to Bas Rutten saying he’s “blown away” that guys continue to look for unfair advantages, nearly everyone old enough to have a Twitter account tossed out an opinion.

For his part, Dana White told Iole that the UFC already shells out “literally millions of dollars a year to try to prevent the steroid problem” and the promotion brings in DEA officials to “speak to the fighters about the ramification of performance enhancing drugs” at its annual fighter summit. Iole writes that White was “exasperated” to learn over the weekend that Sonnen had tested positive and Big DW sounds downright at-his-wits-end when he moans: “What else do I do?” during the article.

Hey, I’m glad he asked. What the UFC should do about steroids in MMA is actually incredibly simple (Spoiler alert: It’s not spend “literal millions” to hold an annual summit where fighters get a stern lecture) …

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Dana White Confirms Our Hunch; Belfort vs. Silva is Official

UFC president Dana White today proved our sneaking suspicion that Vitor Belfort being dropped from his UFC 122 bout with Yushin Okami had little to do with him being injured, as was originally incorrectly reported by MMAWeekly, and a lot to do with Chael Sonnen being unable to face Anderson Silva at the UFC’s planned NYE show.

Although White didn’t tweet a date for the eventual showdown, the CP magic 8-ball points to the January 1 UFC 125 card that Sonnen was scheduled to face Silva on.

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Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club


(Joey Beltran predicts a slugfest against Matt Mitrione during the UFC 119 Spike TV Prelims, and explains the origin of his "Mexecutioner" nickname. Props: FightMagazine)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– CSAC’s George Dodd Explains Why Chael Sonnen Was Allowed to Compete at UFC 117 (MMA Fighting)

– Chael Sonnen Plans To Appeal Drug Test + Jim Rome’s Take On Sonnen (MMA Convert)

– UFC 119: Frank Mir’s Last Run At Heavyweight Title? (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Dunham, Sherk Headed in Different Directions Leading Up to UFC 119 (Versus MMA Beat)

– This Is What Google Says About Your Favorite Fighter (MiddleEasy)

– Snowman’s Land: Jeff Monson Discusses Next Fight in Israel, Drop to Light-Heavyweight (LowKick)

– The Best Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante Highlight Reel Ever (MMA Scraps)

- Understanding Why Chael Sonnen Failed His UFC 117 Drug Test; a Procedural Look (Watch Kalib Run)

– Bas Rutten Comments on Steroid Use in Mixed Martial Arts (Five Ounces of Pain)

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Caption Contest: Win a Duffel Bag Full of Gear From Tokyo Five!

Matt Serra Tokyo Five UFC MMA

(Images courtesy of TokyoFiveBrand.com.)

This Saturday at UFC 119, former UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra will step back into the Octagon against old buddy Chris Lytle, who he defeated back in 2006 to win TUF 4‘s welterweight trophy. Serra is coming off his first-round KO of Frank Trigg at UFC 109 and hopes to make it two in a row against The Bonus Collector, who most recently subbed out Matt Brown at UFC 116. To commemorate the occasion, our friends at Tokyo Five want to give one of you a Muteki duffel bag stuffed to the gills with T5 gear. (Check out Tokyo Five’s denim, tops, and athletics selection to get a better idea of what you stand to gain here.)

You know what this means. Glory for one, heartbreak for many — it’s caption contest time. Check out the photo after the jump, and post a clever caption in the comments section below by Thursday at midnight ET. We’ll pick out our favorite and post it on Friday. First place gets the haul from Tokyo Five, runners-up will get CagePotato t-shirts. Simple as that. Now go take what’s yours…

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Sonnen Told CSAC Officials He Might Piss Hot For Steroids In His Pre-Fight Drug Test, Yet They Still Let the Fight Go On


("This isn’t going to end well, I can feel it.")

 Well, the Chael Sonnen PED case just got a whole lot stranger.

According to a report by Sports Illustrated’s Josh Gross, Sonnen indicated to California State Athletic Commission officials who administered his pre-fight drug screening urinalysis that he had taken a banned substance that might show up in the test.

That’s pretty much the nail in the coffin of his UFC career if true, but Chael being Chael will likely blame it on this guy with the Hispanic accent who has been impersonating him in interviews:


(Pic props: lookoutawhale via the UG)

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Belfort vs. Okami at UFC 122 to Decide Next Middleweight Title Contender

Vitor Belfort Yushin Okami UFC 122

Last week, Vitor Belfort let us all know that instead of expecting a title shot if he defeats Yushin Okami at UFC 122, he expect[s] Jesus, bro, every day. Well, it seems that the Lord has rewarded Belfort’s devotion. The UFC’s Marshall Zelaznik confirmed today that the Belfort/Okami main event in Germany will determine the next challenger to Anderson Silva‘s middleweight belt. "Both Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami are one win away from a shot at the UFC middleweight title and are coming to Germany with a great deal to win and lose,” Zelaznik said.

Now, we all know that the UFC 122 main event has been upgraded to an official title eliminator because Chael Sonnen pissed hot and will be suspended for up to a year. Obviously, that wasn’t mentioned in the announcement. At some point, the UFC is going to have to make some kind of public statement on the fact that their Fight of the Night-winning former #1 contender won’t be around for a while, and won’t be getting that immediate title rematch that Dana White told everyone about. But for now, promoting Belfort vs. Okami is a more pressing issue, I guess.

As for Belfort, he’s just living proof that if you put your faith in God, you’ll experience miracles. I mean, the dude who said Lance Armstrong gave himself cancer by taking steroids failed a freakin’ steroid test the next month? Honestly, who saw that coming?

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Chael Sonnen PED Update #1: ‘Natural Steroids’, Dana White’s Response + More

Chael Sonnen bacne steroids back acne UFC Silva Marquardt Okami
(Chael’s growing bacne problem: the smoking gun? Or were the mats just not washed after Lindland used them? Image courtesy of CageWriter.)

A few notable points that have emerged since yesterday’s bombshell that Chael Sonnen tested positive for performance enhancing drugs following UFC 117

– According to the L.A. Times’ Lance Pugmire, Sonnen tested positive for a "natural steroid" before his fight with Anderson Silva. Natural steroids, such as androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone, aren’t chemically altered like synthetic steroids, and can be sold over-the-counter as supplements at health food stores.

– Sonnen is facing a year-long suspension and a $2,500 fine, which he has 30 days to appeal. According to California State Athletic Commission Executive Officer George Dodd, Sonnen’s positive test emerged from a urine sample he gave before the fight that was processed through the UCLA Olympic drug-testing lab.

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Sonnen Tests Positive for PEDs at UFC 117, CSAC Says


(We’d like to see you talk your way out of this one … PicProps: Us?)

Oh, this is not good. The biggest comeback story of 2010 may well be fizzling out before our very eyes, as the California State Athletic Commission tells Sherdog that Chael Sonnen tested positive for performance enhancing drugs in the wake of UFC 117.  CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd says Sonnen was notified over the weekend that he’d popped positive for PEDs after his loss to Anderson Silva at that event.

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Vitor Belfort on Managing Life’s Little Disappointments: ‘I’m Expect Jesus, Bro, Every Day’


(If you’re into easily digestible religious platitudes and being able to express your entire worldview on a bumper sticker, Belfort is pretty much your guy. PicProps:  Urdirt.com)

Look, nobody would blame Vitor Belfort if he’s a little pissed off right now. Dude has been trying to get Anderson Silva in the cage with him since January, but owing to the middleweight champion’s ongoing frailty, fights scheduled for UFC 108, UFC 109 and UFC 112 have all had to be postponed. Now, due to the world’s most unexpected beatdown at the hands of Chael Sonnen and yet another injury to Silva, Belfort will instead accept a dangerous (and, frankly, thankless) fight against Yushin Okami in Germany at UFC 122 in November.

A lesser man – or perhaps a man who isn’t married to a Brazilian Playboy model and therefore can’t already consider his life an earth-shaking fucking success – might think this was a raw deal. He might stew over it, maybe go on Tapout Radio and say some crazy shit about it, but not Vitor Belfort.  As he explained on Thursday during an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s “The MMA Hour,” Belfort doesn’t get mad, he gets Jesus.

"You know what I’m expecting?” he said, when asked if he thought a win over Okami would earn him a title fight. “I’m expect Jesus, bro, every day. I’m expecting Jesus to come into my life and choose my path. Whatever out there is good for me."

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Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club

UFC 123 poster Rampage Machida Penn Hughes

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere. E-mail feedback@cagepotato.com for details on how your site can join the MMA Link Club…

– The UFC officially announces Penn vs. Hughes III in Detroit (MMA Convert)

– Efrain Escudero comes in four pounds heavy for UFC Fight Night 22; fight with Oliveira will proceed as a catchweight bout (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Must-see: Chael Sonnen debuts his new stand-up comedy material at yesterday’s UFC Q&A session in Austin. (Heavy.com/MMA)

– Helwani vs. Dundas: UFN 22 Edition (Versus MMA Beat)

– Donald Cerrone Steps Over the Line Between Good Hype and a PR Problem (MMA Fighting)

– UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop extended video trailer (MMA Scraps)

– Punk rock vampire pirates are the key to MMA promotion, obviously. (MiddleEasy)

– Anderson Silva says the fight against Chael Sonnen would be a different story, if he was completely healthy (LowKick)

– Behind the Lens With Josh Koscheck (FIGHT! Magazine)

– Epic video of Muhammad Ali doing what he does best…talking that smack (Watch Kalib Run)

You may also be interested in…

– The Jackass 3D crew needs ideas. Submit yours for a chance to film it with them. Plus, video of a rather impressive ferris wheel nut-shot. (WonderHowTo)

– Music video directors who made the jump to the big screen (Bullz-Eye)

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Sonnen Says He May Train with Okami and Belfort for Silva Rematch; Wants Shogun or GSP Next if He Wins


(Listen, Chael. If you get into trouble and you forget what to do, I’ve had instructions printed on your shorts and my shirt and hat.)

Number one UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen took part in a Q&A session today in Texas ahead of tomorrow night’s UFC Fight Night 22 and as expected, the outspoken Republican had a lot to say.

Perhaps most interesting of all of the comments made by Sonnen at the UFC Fight Club event were in regards to whom he might be training with for his  rematch with Silva, tentatively scheduled for UFC 125 on January 1, and whom he has in his crosshairs should he win the UFC middleweight strap this time around.

"I’d love it if Yushin [Okami] came out [to help me train for the rematch with Anderson]. I have a room in my house and I call it Yushin’s room and nobody’s allowed to go in it. I finished the place for him, I put a big bed in it and I got him his own television. Nobody gets to go in there but Okami. But, I don’t know [if he'll make it to Oregon for my camp]," Sonnen said. "I just talked to a gentleman from Japan on behalf of Yushin. He talked about coming out, but he said that because he and Vitor [Belfort] are going to fight in Germany, he’s very worried about jet lag from travelling from Tokyo to the States, to Germany. So I don’t know if we’re going to get him or not." 

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Sonnen Confirms Rematch With Silva is Tentatively set for New Year’s Day UFC 125 Card


(Video courtesy MMALive)

Chael Sonnen replaced Franklin McNeil as John Anik’s other wingman alongside Kenny Florian on the latest episode of MMA Live and the trio proved itself a major improvement over the traditional line-up. Not only did he come off as a seasoned vet on camera, Chael also added to his vast depth of knowledge with a plethora of Sonnenisms like the one he used when describing the pending  match-up between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard.

"Well, listen, the fight has to happen. It’s already happened once and Maynard got the edge on him. I think Frankie’s better now. I like it from a competitive standpoint. It needs to take place," Sonnen said. "It’s the right fight. From a business standpoint, acting as though Maynard versus Edgar is going to sell out an arena is about as optimistic as holding onto Jim Morrison’s mail."

During the segment, which originally aired on Thursday, the durable UFC middleweight confirmed that if Anderson Silva’s injured ribs heal in time, they will square off at UFC 125 which is being planned for Saturday, January 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

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Report: Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen Rematch Slated for This Winter

Anderson Silva Chael Sonnen UFC 117
(The unstoppable force meets the immovable asshole. Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.com)

According to the LA Times’ Lance Pugmire, a middleweight title rematch between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen is being penciled in for the UFC’s next New Year’s Eve or Super Bowl weekend card, after Silva recovers from the rib injury that reportedly plagued him before the fight. Unlike other immediate UFC title rematches that have been booked recently — see esp., Machida vs. Rua II, Penn vs. Edgar II — Silva and Sonnen’s first meeting didn’t end in a close/controversial judges’ decision. Instead, Silva sunk a triangle-armbar with less than two minutes remaining in the fifth round, after getting out-wrestled and battered for the previous four frames.

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CSAC Releases UFC 117 Salaries; Silva, Hughes and Fitch Top Money Earners


(Silva and Hughes both got the same to win and Sonnen got paid what Almeida made to take a nap)

The California State Athletic Commission today released the fighter salaries for UFC 117, which was held August 7 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.

According to CSAC, the total payroll for the event, which is said to have drawn 12,971 fans for a live gate of $1.56 million, was  $1.029 million.

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, whose come from behind win over Chael Sonnen thrilled fans, topped the list with $320,000 which included his flat rate $200,000 show purse and double-fisted $60,000 Fight of the Night and $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus haul. Sonnen on the other hand made just $35,000 show money for the fight, which would have tied him for eight place with Ricardo Almeida on money earner board for the event if he hadn’t picked up the $60,000 Fight of the Night Bonus he shared with Silva.

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Chael Sonnen Says He Was Out When Josh Rosenthal Called the Fight


(Video courtesy YouTube/HDNet)

Chael Sonnen sat down with Mike Straka for the HDNet interviewer’s "Fighting Words" show the day after his UFC 117 war with Anderson Silva and spoke a bout a variety of topics including his loss to the UFC middleweight champion, the fact that he didn’t get a cut of the PPV earnings and the fact that he visits a sports psychologist to help deal with the weight a loss like he had against "The Spider"two weeks ago heaps on him emotionally.

Overall, it was another polarizing interview, minus all of the pre-fight posturing that has garnered him so much attention (which he maintains was not an act), but it what the Oregon wrestler said about the controversial tap and subsequent stoppage at the end of the fight was arguably the most interesting tidbit from the Q&A session.

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Video: Chael Sonnen Talks UFC 117 and Responds to Michael Bisping’s Comments About his Performance


(Video courtesy MMALive)

We’d put our usual "Ignore Franklin McNeil’s inane ramblings,"disclaimer on this video, but after you hear him try to string a series of words together to describe how he was feeling during the Sonnen-Silva fight, it seems unnecessary.

"First time in a long time that I was actually a fan. I’m sitting there and I can’t believe what I’m seeing. No one could have foreseen that particular outcome."

Which outcome is that, Anderson winning by submission against a guy who always loses by submission or you being asked to give your thoughts on it?

Sonnen’s interview makes up for McNeil’s deer in the headlights style of reporting.

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Vitor Belfort Says He Won’t Wait Around for Anderson; Calls Ed Soares a Clown for Purposely Mistranslating Silva’s Interviews


(Video courtesy YouTube/MMAPrime)

When Chael Sonnen came within an arm’s length of tasting victory against Anderson Silva Saturday night and instead got a mouthful of Anderson Silva’s sweaty cup and his arm nearly torn off for the effort, Vitor Belfort’s chances of getting the next shot at "The Spider" may have gone out the window.

Had Anderson dominated Chael or vice versa, the need for Belfort to challenge either man would never have been greater.

But since Sonnen shone a light on weaknesses in Silva that we had never seen exposed before in the dominant champ and Anderson revealed after the fight that he wasn’t firing on all cylinders due to a nagging rib injury, many fans are now clamoring for a second glimpse at these two fighters in the Octagon. Now it’s looking like if it does come to fruition, the fight may not happen until next spring.

So where does that leave Belfort?

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CagePotato Ban: Blaming an Injury for a Lackluster Performance and Saying God Helped You Beat Someone in a Fight


(Talk of bruised ribs and doing god’s work in the cage don’t belong in a post-fight interview)

Watching Anderson Silva get dominated on the feet and the ground by Chael Sonnen for the better part of five rounds Saturday night at UFC 117, a large number of fans and pundits assumed out loud that the middleweight champion must be sick or injured. How else could he be outworked, outstruck and outgrappled by Sonnen for over 23 minutes of a championship bout?

It didn’t take long for Silva to nullify the praise Sonnen’s career defining performance was garnering him as he announced in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan that his own somewhat lethargic performance was a result of an injury, not Chael’s nearly perfectly executed game plan.

Besides the slick, yet last-ditch armbar-triangle combo he threw up and was able to catch Chael with in the dying seconds of the fifth round, Anderson really didn’t do a whole lot in the fight, but instead of praising Sonnen for contributing more than his half to their "Fight of the Night" awarded bout, he instead chalked it up to a rib injury he sustained in training more than a week prior to the fight.

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Silva’s Trainer Says Anderson Won’t be Back in the Octagon this Year

("Should I wear my pink sweater to my victory party or my….HOLY SHIT!!")
photo courtesy UFC.com

According to one of Anderson Silva’s jiu-jitsu coaches, Ramon Lemos, the UFC middleweight champion likely won’t fight again until March of 2011 as he will need time to heal from a "fractured rib" he sustained in the first round of his seventh title defense saturday night against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 in Oakland, CA.

Ramos revealed the news to Fighters Only today.

"After the first round he said he broke his ribs. He said told me he could not breathe because of the rib. I told him to forget the rib and work the movement of legs and he would get the triangle… After the fight he went to the hospital and did an x-ray and the doctor said he did not break it, it was just a crack," Lemos recalled. "Anderson is expected to return in February or March." 

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MMA GIF Party: UFC 117 Edition

Anderson Silva Chael Sonnen UFC 117 gif
(Props: Spladdle)

See? That’s what James Irvin should have done. More memorable moments from UFC 117 continue after the jump, in convenient animated gif form…

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Video: Rener and Ryron Gracie Break Down How Sonnen Should Have Defended the Triangle


(Video courtesy YouTube/GracieAcademy)

If you’ve never seen any of Rorian Gracie’s sons Rener and Ryron’s post-fight submission finish breakdowns, they are very informative whether you’re an armchair expert or a seasoned Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

You’d assume that they would be biased towards the BJJ practitioners, but both of them are refreshingly honest in their analysis, giving props where props are due. Of course they’re going to give some props and shameless plugs to their academy, but if your great grandfather helped perfect a system of martial arts and your father helped co-found the UFC, you should get a pass.

Anyway, in their most recent edition of the Gracie Breakdown, the brothers discuss the Anderson Silva-Chael Sonnen bout from Saturday’s UFC 117 card and give some insight on the jiu-jitsu of both men.

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Just How Bad Were Anderson Silva’s Ribs on Saturday Night?

Anderson Silva Chael Sonnen UFC 117
(Photo courtesy of allelbows)

After pulling off his miracle win against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117, Anderson Silva mentioned to Joe Rogan that he had hurt his ribs coming into the fight. Could that have played a factor in the extended beating that he endured before snatching that Hail Mary triangle-choke submission? Silva’s manager Ed Soares shared details to FightHype (via BloodyElbow):

"It was really close because the doctors didn’t want him to fight. He hurt his rib last Friday in sparring. He hurt it, but he didn’t think it was hurt that bad and then Sunday morning, I had about 13 missed calls in a matter of 25 minutes. They were all from Anderson and he was calling me to tell me he was in pain. He couldn’t breathe. I took him to the hospital and they X-Rayed each rib and they noticed that it was a bit swollen, but there was no fracture. They said it was bruised ribs, but the way he reacted when they touched it and how tender they were, they said it was in the muscle as well as the bruise. I’m not a doctor, but this is just what they told us. They prescribed some Ibuprofen 800 for him because it was so close to the fight, they couldn’t do any Vicodin.

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Five Things We Learned at UFC 117

Roy Nelson Junior Dos Santos UFC 117
(If there’s one thing that Junior hates, it’s the Safety Dance. Photo courtesy of MMAFighting.)

UFC 117 not only produced a dramatic night of fights, it also provided answers to a lot of burning questions. Here’s what we know, now that the dust has settled in Oakland. (Figuratively speaking. Obviously, there’s still a ton of dust floating around in Oakland.)

Junior Dos Santos Is Not Superhuman 
In round one, he did what we expected him to: beat Roy Nelson like a mulleted heavy-bag. But when Roy managed to survive the onslaught — massive props to Big Country, by the way — Dos Santos visibly slowed down and couldn’t inflict as much damage as he did in the opening frame. The fight didn’t bode well for JDS’s chances against the Lesnar/Velasquez winner. As we saw at UFC 116, Brock can take a brutal beating and come back for round 2 fresh as a daisy.

Matt Hughes Is Still a Threat
When Hughes suffered back-to-back losses to Georges St. Pierre (at UFC 79) and Thiago Alves (at UFC 85), it seemed that his days as a competitor were swirling down the drain. Hughes’s blanket-ish return performance against Matt Serra didn’t prove much, considering Serra’s injuries and ring rust, and his beatdown of Renzo Gracie in Abu Dhabi said more about the loser than the winner. But smashing Ricardo Almeida standing, then choking him out with a front headlock in the first round? That’s a huge feather in Hughes’s cap. This was not a "master’s division"-type fight; Almeida was a legitimate welterweight player, who was coming off his third consecutive win against Matt Brown at UFC 111. Hughes may be more interested in hunting than fighting at this point, but he’s a contender again. The question is: Which Gracie-associated fighter can he get next?

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UFC 117 Aftermath: Anderson Silva Earns an Extra $120K for Getting His Ass Handed to Him for 23 Minutes


(The world’s "top pound-for-pound fighter" in the midst of proving his greatness at UFC 117. PicPops: Esther Lin/Fanhouse)

Whatever “demon effigy” Anderson Silva and Ed Soares really do worship, he certainly turned out to be the better God on Saturday night. If nothing else, Silva’s prayers were answered at UFC 117 when his Hail Mary triangle choke somehow found the mark around Chael Sonnen’s neck with a minute, 50 seconds left in a fight the challenger had dominated for four complete rounds. Sonnen kind of tapped, referee Josh Rosenthal kind of stopped the fight and Silva kind of proved he is still the best 185-pound fighter in the world. So much for the vengeful Christian God that Republican wrestlers from Oregon prance and dance in front of, we guess.

There will no doubt be more than a couple breathless accounts of Silva’s “miraculous comeback” in the MMA media during the next few days, but let’s make no mistake here: Anderson Silva’s greatness was not on display Saturday night. In fact, if the UFC’s so-called “performance-based bonuses” are actually in any way based on performance, Big DW should take that $120,000 he evenly split between the two main eventers for “Fight of the Night” and give about $90,000 of it to Sonnen. Because really, only one guy had the “fight of the night” at UFC 117. The other guy just sort of got lucky.

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UFC 117 Live Results and Commentary


(Anderson Silva pretending not to know the English for, “Don’t be scared, homie.” PicProps: UFC.com)

Tonight, the climax to one of the greatest UFC storylines in recent memory plays out before our very eyes. Will Chael Sonnen’s ceaseless trash talk inspire Anderson Silva to rediscover his roots as a remorseless ass-kicker? If Sonnen pulls off the miraculous upset, will he finally admit that he’s just been fucking with us these past few months, or will he confirm that he actually is suffering from early-onset dementia brought on by years of getting punched in the head? And after weeks of solid build-up can UFC 117 provide an emotionally satisfying conclusion?

Answers to the above questions are for us to know and you to find out … with live results and commentary beginning at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST tonight. Be sure to hit refresh early and often to get the latest updates.

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Fact or Crap: Chael Sonnen Actually has a Chance to Win This Thing


("All that punching and kicking is fine for some people. It just seems a little showy for my tastes." PicProps: MMALinker.com)

In some ways, you’ve really got to hand it to Chael Sonnen. Not only has the relentless torrent of bullshit that has spewed from his mouth during the last few months done a remarkable job rekindling the public’s interest in Anderson Silva, but it’s also distracted just about everybody from asking the one question that really matters about tonight’s UFC 117 main event: Does Sonnen have a chance in hell to actually win?

Answer: Yes, but he’s going to have to play it perfectly.

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Reminder: UFC 117 Weigh-ins Live Right Here at 7:00pm ET

(Source Purefight)

If you’re like me, and I’m sure that a lot of you are more so than you’d like to admit, you can’t wait to see what shenanigans that playful scamp Chael Sonnen will get into at today’s weigh-ins.

If the video above is any indicator of the focus of his training for his fight with Anderson Silva tomorrow night, he may punk everyone and try to stand and bang with "The Spider." If he pulls it off and wins the fight on his feet, expect the Internet to implode with all of the fairweather fans coming out of the woodwork to say "I told you so."

For the record, I predicted Chael would upset Anderson on the latest episode of The Bum Rush (which you should listen to if you count yourself a true member of the Potato Nation), but I may be eating my words come Monday morning.

Anyway, we’ll have the live stream of today’s festivities starting at around 7:00 pm ET, so check back then to see what goes down.

The video feed is after the jump.
 

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The Time for Talk Is Almost Over…


(Pro fighters give their predictions for Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen. Dominick Cruz and Jake Shields actually pick the challenger for an upset. Props: YouTube.com/FightMagazine)

Come back to CagePotato.com tomorrow night at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT for our liveblog of UFC 117, which will be run by weekend editor Chad Dundas. You can play along at home by entering some pools in our MMAFightPicker game. After all the hype and all the analysis, we’re dying to find out how Silva vs. Sonnen will actually play out. Where are you guys watching the fights anyway?

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