Serious question, no hate: Is Silva avoiding Sonnen?

No. Hes avoiding Jones. Hes stalling the Sonnen fight as long as he can, and he'll stall again, all with the intention of retiring before having to face Jones

 

I think it is quite clear he is avoiding Sonnen. Sonnen lost, no doubt but he did beat him up for 4 rounds. Nevertheless, he lost fairly and needs to work his way back. He then dominated the Stann who beat Leben and Santiago badly and was riding his own wave.

Silva vs Sonnen is the fight everyone wants to see. Silva is avoiding the tough challenge but also trying to mind **** Sonnen. Given Sonnens antics of late, it might be working.

Silva isn't scared but Sonnen irritates him no end.

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiDOMuhpqUo[/ame]

 

People who think he's avoiding Sonnen - how does he do this exactly?

The UFC control the match-making, so Anderson and Ed Soares don't get a say. Dana has already announced that Sonnen is getting the next title shot.

 

unbelievable how people fail to understand the concept of shoulder surgery putting you out for an extended amount of time.

 

This. MMA aint boxing. The fighters work for the org' rather than their own promotors who try to get maximum $ from minimum risk for as long as they can get away with it. If Any belt holder tried to avoid a fighter that the UFC, for example, wanted to challenge they would be out the door. I don't think Silva WANTS to fight Chael. But that might be to do with the positive test thing. TBH I wouldn't want to fight a drugs cheat that was on juice last tim ewe were in the cage together.

 

Maybe. But do you know what the good thing is? It doesn`t matter, this isn`t boxing so they have to if Joe Silva and Dana want to and they do cause the fans want to see the fight

 

^This. I don't why this topic keeps getting posted. Dana White has made it clear that any champion who refuses to fight their mandated opponent will, at the very least, be stripped of his title and probably cut from the promotion afterwards. It's sad to see how many people mark out for Sonnen's bull**** and think that the fighters get to control how and when the matches are made.

Same goes for the people who keep insisting that Jones ducked Evans by faking an injury. Jones said that he was ready to fight again before Rampage/Hamill happened and Rampage was announced as his next opponent. If the UFC had wanted Rashad to get the next shot, they would have moved him to the main event at 135 back in early May.

 

The second I heard bursitis, and that he would be sidelined for months, I knew he was trying to get out of this fight. Wouldn't be surprised if he just retired.

 

They would have made that fight if Evans didnt "fake" an injury

 

There is no real expectation on him to fight Jones. That is not a fight that we as fans can reasonably demand Anderson to take. Sonnen 2 is, however. :good

:hat

 

I can't say that Anderson is scared of Sonnen himself, that's ridiculous.

Scared of being beaten for the first time in the UFC and losing his title to a man he hates who disrespects him and his entire country for fun? Yes, I'm sure the thought of that does trouble Anderson. In the back of his mind he has to know that he got lucky the first time around. He sure as hell doesn't want to fight Sonnen again, ever. If this was boxing, I'd say that Silva-Sonnen 2 was no chance of happening.

:hat

 

agree, he feels sonnen is a 50/50 fight and would prefer to avoid him, not through fear of chael, but of losing his title. chael defo has anderson's number mentally and that is a contributing factor to the "ducking", nobody has came after silva like this and he dont like it

 

Yep, Silva is used to being respected and feared, and Chael doesn't respect him as a person and doesn't fear him as a fighter. He is used to guys pretty much freezing up when they are face to face with him, but Chael backed himself starting from months out from the fight, and he showed no fear or hesitation at all in the cage. Even stood and traded and clearly got the better of it early.

I reckon this truly is a case of an inferior (though fearsome himself) fighter just plain having a superior guy's number both mentally and stylistically, and both of them know it.

And the thought of losing his title not to just anybody, but to Chael Sonnen, that has CLEARLY gotten right under Anderson's skin. The thought of that obviously unsettles him.

:hat