UFC
Dana White reveals Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II indeed next UFC Middleweight Championship bout
Nov 10, 2011 - 8:00:42 AM Dana White reveals Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen II indeed next UFC Middleweight Championship bout

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Anderson Silva may not believe Chael Sonnen deserves a second shot at taking his UFC Middleweight Championship, but it's the opponent he's going to face next regardless. UFC President Dana White revealed on Wednesday's episode of The Jim Rome Show that Silva would indeed be meeting Sonnen for a second time in the next bout for each of them.

"It's the fight everyone wants to see," White said. "People want to see Chael vs. Anderson. Anderson is in this position where he feels this guy is so disrespectful he doesn't want to give him a shot and everything else, but Anderson will end up fighting Chael Sonnen."

White didn't reveal a date or location for the fight, only confirming that the matchup is coming.

The two fighters battled in a classic in August of 2010, with Sonnen shocking everyone by winning four straight rounds against "The Spider," before the Champion pulled off a last minute comeback in locking on a triangle choke and forcing Sonnen to tap.

Then Sonnen's pre-fight drug test results came back, and the circus began as he was suspended. Ultimately he returned in October of this year, scoring a massively impressive win over Brian Stann at UFC 136. He followed that win up in the cage with a call out of Silva, and he'll get that rematch next.

Penick's Analysis: This was expected, and the timing is contingent on Silva being ready to return. If he's healthy enough for a January return - which isn't at all a guarantee as he's been battling some injuries out of his win over Yushin Okami - I wouldn't be surprised if this fight headlines UFC 142 in Rio on January 14. They may not want to put two major fights on pay-per-view so close together (as Lesnar-Overeem is just two weeks prior to that), but it would be a huge sell for the Brazil return if Silva was on top again. And Sonnen trying to take the belt away from Silva in Brazil would make for an absolutely crazy atmosphere.