“It’s on.â€
With those two words, UFC President Dana White made Chael Sonnen the happiest man in all of MMA.
On Saturday night following UFC 143, White said that the rematch between Sonnen and middleweight champion Anderson Silva is happening this year, and while contracts haven’t been signed, the fight is official.
“It’s not signed but both guys have verbally agreed to it,†White said.
Earlier in the week, White stated that he was meeting with Silva on Friday to discuss his return to action and the bout with Sonnen.
Obviously that conversation happened once Silva, who was in attendance at UFC 143, landed in Las Vegas and had a chance to chat with the UFC President.
Silva has been sidelined with a shoulder injury for the last several months after his win over Yushin Okami at UFC 134 in Brazil last year.
Sonnen officially earned the rematch with his win over Michael Bisping at UFC on Fox 2, and despite his repeated claims that Silva wouldn’t fight him, it appears Dana White was happy to prove him wrong.
As far as the timing of the fight, Silva vs. Sonnen 2 will take place this summer at a mega show in Brazil, most likely at an outdoor soccer stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
“June in Brazil,†White answered when asked about a date and location for the fight.
The bout between Silva and Sonnen will likely be one of the most highly anticipated rematches in UFC history. The build up to the first fight was epic, and Sonnen had possibly the best performance of any fighter against Silva during his UFC career.
Unfortunately, with the title just minutes away from being his, Sonnen fell into a triangle choke courtesy of Silva, and was finished in the fifth and final round.
Now the often outspoken Sonnen will get a second crack at Silva and his UFC middleweight title
