SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – JUNE 15: Anderson Silva thanks Chael Sonnen after their Exhibition Fight as part … [+] of Spaten Fight Night event at Komplexo Tempo on June 15, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images)
Saturday, June 15, was a busy night in combat sports, and in case you missed it, MMA legends Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen fought to a draw in Brazil…in a boxing match.
The fight, which was a unique blend of exhibition and friendly competition, was a rather uneventful affair. Both Silva and Sonnen had their moments, but it was clear that neither had any intentions of causing serious harm to their opponent.
Look at some of these “highlights,” the captions may be more entertaining than the fight itself.
Has there ever been a post on X dripping with more sarcasm than the one Hoemlander MMA delivered with this clip?
Happy Punch was kind enough to post a clip along with a caption sharing the anti-climactic nature of the fight.
Combat Media is just about every combat sports fan with their caption of the action.
Silva is 49 and Sonnen is 47. If anyone expected to see a spirited battle with blood, sweat, and tears involved, their expectations were far too high.
This event was about money and publicity, and to Silva and Sonnen’s credit, neither man ever tried to make it appear there was anything else happening here. Silva and Sonnen battled twice in their MMA careers.
Silva won both fights by stoppage, with the first victory in 2010 at UFC 117, producing one of the most memorable finishes in combat sports history. In a surprising twist, Sonnen, the underdog, dominated Silva for nearly five rounds.
However, a moment of carelessness led to him being caught in an arm triangle, which Silva used to secure a win and retain his UFC middleweight crown. The rematch, in 2012 at UFC 148, was a different story, with Silva sealing the victory with a second-round TKO.
At one point, Sonnen might have been one of the most hated men in the world by Brazilians because of his unabashed trash talk toward the legendary Silva. After this goodwill event, he was forgiven, as he was well-received following the exhibition.
This could be the last time we see Sonnen in any combat sports arena, but it is hard to say the same for Silva, who lost a unanimous decision to Jake Paul in a boxing match in 2022.
It’s good to see two once bitter rivals so cordial and aligned late in their lives.
