Chael Sonnen Plans To Finish Wanderlei Silva ‘Inside The First Round’
Veteran mixed martial artists Chael Sonnen and Wanderlei Silva will finally settle their long lasting rivalry in the main event of Bellator NYC, which will air live on pay-per-view (PPV) on June 24, 2017 from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The two were supposed to face-off for the first time today at the Bellator NYC pre-fight press conference, but Silva wasn’t present, as he elected to stay home in Brazil and train:
“Because I’m training to beat somebody on June 24,” Silva said, adding that Bellator gave him the OK. “I’m focused on training back to 100 percent.”
“The Axe Murderer” hasn’t competed since a 2013 knockout of Brian Stann, while Sonnen is coming off of a disappointing submission loss to Tito Ortiz in his Bellator debut this past January.
Despite Silva not being present at the press conference, Sonnen, to little surprise, took the chance to blast his Brazilian rival, saying that he’ll finish Silva ‘inside the first round’:
“First off, I made Tito Ortiz scream ‘tap’ in less than 60 seconds, and while I suspect you’re going to be tougher than him, I still get you out of there inside the first round,” Sonnen said. “Before I get accused of hogging the mic, Wanderlei, every time you talk, all I hear is ‘garble, garble, garble.’ And I want to remind you when you address me in public, you will do it proper – it’s ‘Garble, garble, garble, Mr. Sonnen.’”
“Thank you,” he said. “It’s respectful. Say it with me, Wanderlei. ‘Mr. Sonnen.’ Please. Respectfully, please. Try it one time.”
Silva only had one response to Sonnen’s outlandish remarks:
“Suck my balls,” Silva replied to laughs from the audience.
Given the history of bad blood between between Sonnen and Silva, it was expected that the two would go back-and-forth in the lead up to the bout.
Who are you expecting to come out on top when the two finally meet on June 24?
