With his desire for revenge against Anderson Silva still burning, Chael Sonnen is jumping into the deep end again, but one former MMA champion doesn't seem too confident in his victory.
It's been nearly 12 years since these two sports giants last stepped into the cage together, but their iconic feud still holds a special place in the hearts of combat sports fans around the world.
Ben Askren fears Chael Sonnen in boxing match against Anderson Silva
UFC fans may remember Ben Askren for his brutal loss to Jorge Masvidal and his boxing knockout loss to Jake Paul, but combat sports aficionados know just what a force “Funky” was.
From his Olympic wrestling career to his MMA domination with Bellator and One Championship, Askren has had an impressive list of accomplishments, and while his late-career run with UFC has somewhat tainted his accomplishments, there's no doubting what he means.
Askren issued a stern warning while speaking with Daniel Cormier on his podcast “Funky and the Champ,” saying: “Chael, I love you. I don't know why you're boxing. At least when I was in boxing matches. [Jake Paul] “It was the worst…”
“I have no idea why Chael would do something like that. Anderson is a very good striker, in fact he has had a number of boxing matches and even beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.”
Chael Sonnen vs Anderson Silva: The third installment of their legendary rivalry is happening
On June 15th in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will give it their all in a bout full of nostalgia.
When the two first met in 2010, the “American Gangster” won hearts with his incredible skills on the mic.
With Muhammad Ali-like charisma, Sonnen verbally outmaneuvered his iconic opponent and dominated the mind-games during a series of press conferences that have become the stuff of UFC legend.
Unfortunately, while the West Linn, Oregon native certainly knew a thing or two about walking the talk, few thought he had a real shot at dethroning the championship.
As it turned out, no one could at that point. Blessed with an incredible array of strikes and unmatched footwork, the martial arts sensation threw his opponents into complete confusion, forcing them to miss their attacks and eventually retaliating with some deadly power shots.
Yet somehow, when Sonnen and Silva finally stepped into the cage, the underdog overcame all odds, delivered heavy strikes and crushed “The Spider” in one of the greatest combat shows in the history of the middleweight division.
But with just four minutes left to clinch the championship, the challenger made a fatal mistake, locking in the submission for Silva and ending his arch rival's hopes and dreams.
A rematch took place two years later, but Sonnen was unable to enjoy the same success, losing by TKO in the second round.
Since that day, the scoundrel has been craving an opportunity for revenge, and it seems the challenge ahead is…
Anderson Silva looked great ahead of his boxing match against Chael Sonnen
Silva isn't the athlete he once was, but the opportunity to teach Sonnen a new lesson clearly has him motivated to get back in fighting form.
The exhibition bout, which will be contested over five two-minute rounds at a catchweight of 216 pounds, is set to be the final bout of the UFC Hall of Famer's stellar career.
The Brazilian hero is ready to take on the fight and has been training hard with his sons Gabriel and Khalil (Khalil is competing on the undercard).
With the round lengths shortened, Silva is ready to fight at a blistering pace as he looks to put an end to his rivalry with Sonnen.
According to his coach, Louis Drea, he is in great shape and looking his age.
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