SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – JUNE 15: Anderson Silva thanks Chael Sonnen after their exhibition bout. … [+]
It was a busy night in the martial arts world on Saturday, June 15. In case you missed it, mixed martial arts legends Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen faced off in a boxing match in Brazil that ended in a draw.
It was a unique mix of exhibition and friendly competition, but a relatively uneventful bout, and while Silva and Sonnen each had good moments, it was clear that neither was looking to inflict any serious damage on the other.
Take a look at some of these “highlights” — the captions may be more entertaining than the fight itself.
Has there ever been a more sarcastic X-post than the one posted by Hoemlander MMA in this clip?
Happy Punch shared the video with a caption sharing the disappointing nature of the fight.
Combat Media is the go-to outlet for almost every combat sports fan providing captions for the action.
Silva is 49 and Sonnen is 47. Those hoping for a heated fight involving blood, sweat and tears had high expectations.
The event was about money and publicity, but to Silva and Sonnen's credit, neither tried to make it seem like anything else was going on here. Silva and Sonnen have faced each other twice in their MMA careers.
Silva won both bouts by stoppage, with his first victory coming at UFC 117 in 2010 in one of the most memorable finishes in mixed martial arts history. In a surprising turn of events, Sonnen, who was outnumbered, dominated Silva for nearly five rounds.
However, a moment of carelessness resulted in an arm-triangle choke that Silva capitalized to secure the win and retain his UFC middleweight title. A rematch at UFC 148 in 2012 played out differently, with Silva winning by TKO in the second round.
Sonnen may have briefly been one of the most hated men in the world among Brazilians for his shameless insults towards the legendary Silva, but after this friendly he was well-received in his exhibition and forgiven.
While this may be the last time we see Sonnen in a combat sports arena, the same cannot be said for Silva, who lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in a 2022 boxing match.
It's nice to see two people who were once bitter rivals working together so amicably in their later years.
