Who is under more pressure to win - Silva or Sonnen?

Silva has an entire country waiting for him to shut this ******* up once and for all. If Sonnen beats him, Anderson will lose face in his homeland. He also knows that whichever way this fight goes, it will have a big impact on how his career is remembered. But he does have the security of knowing that he's a top-3 ATG regardless of what happens.

Sonnen knows that Silva was below-par the first time, and he likely doesn't feel as physically strong as he did. Because of the roids. :yep He knows that Silva is by far the best fighter he's ever faced, and he knows that if he doesn't back up his talk and gets KOed early then he's going to look like a chump in MMA history.

But which of the two has more pressure on him to win? :think

:hat

 

What do you think the reaction will be like in Brazil if Anderson gets shut out 5-0? :yep

And you're right, a guy on Sonnen's level shouldn't be expected to beat a gold-plated p4p ATG like Anderson. But Sonnen's mouth has painted him into a corner to such an extent that he HAS to win, or else he'll be the butt of jokes in the MMA community for the rest of his life. He'll be a cautionary tale to fighters about running their mouths and getting owned because of it. :good

:hat

 

But more disastrous for whom? :think They are not in the same boat. :yep

Anderson is far more secure in his legacy. Plus he is 37 years old and a fighter whose game is based around fast, precise striking. :good

Chael knows that if he loses then in all likelihood he will never be the champion, and all the boasts will have come to nothing. I think more pressure is on his shoulders. :deal

In the short term there is maybe more pressure on Anderson. But from a long-term perspective, I think that Sonnen has more on the line.

:hat

 

Certainly that could be very true.

That's one of the many interesting things about this fight. Who knows how the hype will affect Anderson? Is his uncharacteristic outburst last week a sign that he has been mentally thrown off balance? What will that turn him into in the cage? :good

:good

I think for Chael a lot of it is about the money and title and legacy. He doesn't have those things like Anderson does, and he wants them BAD. :yep

It'll be interesting to see how much of the fight happens on their feet. Chael has underrated boxing. His chin is solid and he's aggressive. Last time he got the better of Anderson in the few striking exchanges he allowed to happen. But I don't think he's keen to stand in front of the guy.

:hat