The war of words leading up to the UFC 148 main event between Anderson "The Spider" Silva and Chael Sonnen has been largely one sided. Sonnen has shown himself willing to say anything and everything that comes to mind to get under the skin of the UFC Middleweight Champion, while "The Spider" has generally been content to focus on his training and let the wave of vitriol from his foe go unanswered.
That changed decisively on Monday, when Sonnen and Silva participated in a media conference call to promote the UFC 148 fight card, which takes place next Saturday, July 7, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Silva didn't hesitate to let the media members on the call know exactly what he thinks of the "Gangster From America."
Here's a small sampling of what the champion had to say about his opponent.
"Chael is a criminal. He's been convicted of crimes. He doesn't deserve to be in the Octagon. When the time is right, I'm going to break his face and break every one of his teeth in his mouth."
"I'm gonna beat Chael like he's never been beat before. There's no more talking. I'm going to beat his ass out of the UFC. He's never gonna want to fight again after I'm done with him."
Given what Sonnen has had to say about Silva, his training camp and his home country of Brazil over the last two years, it's hardly surprising that Silva would be angry. However, given that Sonnen has been doing his talking over the last two years, it's somewhat surprising that the anger would finally come out now.
When the fighters first met, at UFC 117 in August 2010, Sonnen told Silva's manager, Ed Soares, to "pray to whatever demon effigy you prance and dance in front of with your piglet tribe of savages that I decide not to crucify you," mixed in a comment about how getting a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu from the Nogueira brothers (who trained Silva in the grappling art) is "like I got a free toy in my Happy Meal," and predicted that he would retire Silva. Still, during fight week, Silva was as cool as a cucumber, right up to the moment when - after trailing the fight for four rounds plus - he pulled off a triangle choke/armbar combination that got Sonnen to submit.
Now, though, after two years of talk, Sonnen finally seems to have Silva angry.
"I'm just gonna make him pay and make him eat everything he said not only about myself but about my country," Silva said. "I'm going to make him regret disrespecting any fighter. I'm going to beat him like his parents should have beat him. I'm not playing anymore."
Silva hasn't hesitated to show up his opponents in the past, as he did in fights against the likes of Thales Leites and Demian Maia, but in those fights, Silva embarrassed his foes by doing just enough to win the fight, then effectively refusing to engage for the remaining rounds. Against Sonnen's pressure-oriented attack - based on his background as an NCAA Division I wrestler at the University of Oregon - that approach isn't an option, but Silva seems to be too angry for that approach anyway. Even UFC president Dana White was surprised at what he heard from Silva on Monday.
"I've promoted every Anderson Silva fight in history," White said, "and he usually doesn't get fired up like this. He's usually very respectful. He never talks like this."
If Sonnen is concerned, however, he's not showing it.
"I've got two words for Anderson Silva," Sonnen said. "Medium rare."
Sonnen's constant chirping and Silva's generational talent had already made the UFC 148 fight card the most anticipated MMA event of the summer. Monday, the stakes appear to have hit a new level.
