Silva Sonnen II to be held in a Soccer Stadium

While Chael Sonnen says he’s waiting for a contract for his rematch with Anderson Silva, the UFC has already booked him for a flight to Brazil.

According to UFC president Dana White, the long awaited rematch between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and rival Chael Sonnen will take place this summer in possibly the biggest event in MMA history.

White was in Calgary on Wednesday announcing a slew of new events for Canada, but also let one other bombshell out regarding the most highly anticipated rematch in UFC history.

“Think about this, the Chael Sonnen/Anderson Silva fight, I’m probably going to put my foot in my mouth again, and probably not supposed to be talking about this either, but I always do it so, this thing’s going to be in a soccer stadium in Rio,” White said.

“This thing’s going to have over 80,000 people are going to be at this event down there.”

While White didn’t go into specifics regarding the venue, the most likely landing spot appears to be the Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange, also known as Engenhao.

The Engenhao will be a host stadium for the 2016 Summer Olympics, which will also land in Brazil, and for soccer matches generally holds around 45,000 people. The stadium is home to the Botafogo football club in Rio.

For the upcoming Olympic games, the stadium is expected to fit closer to 60,000 fans.

Some have speculated that the Maracana could be the stadium White was speaking about due to its immense size and ability to pack in over 80,000 fans, but the only problem is it’s currently closed for renovations until 2013.

While the numbers don’t match up with White’s estimations, even with nearly 60,000 fans, that will still break all previous records for the biggest event in UFC history. The current record stands with UFC 129 held in Toronto in 2011 with more than 55,000 fans packing into the Rogers Centre.

The card will likely take place on June 16 in Rio with Silva vs. Sonnen 2 headlining the show.

Mark Muñoz Recovery Ahead of Schedule and Back to Full Training

Mark Muñoz is back on track in his quest for the UFC Middleweight Championship held with an iron grip by Champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva.

In his tweet from last Feb. 28, 2012, The Filipino Wrecking Machine enthusiastically declared to the MMA world the following good news "Gr8 news given by Dr Kvitne @kerlanjobe! I could start training!!!!!! I'm back!!!! 1 month ahead of schedule! Yeah boyeeeeee!!!"

Muñoz was disappointed when his fight versus Chael Sonnen, originally scheduled for last Jan. 28 at UFC on Fox 2 in Chicago, was dropped due to his elbow injury. Still, he maintained a positive attitude throughout his ordeal. He even came to visit the Philippines last February in part of his injury.

The US national champion wrestler revealed during his press conference in Metro Manila, Philippines on Feb. 19, “For me, this [injury] has been a blessing in disguise…it’s given me an opportunity to rest. I’m feeling a lot better and I’m coming back as Mark Munoz 2.0, The Filipino Wrecking Machine upgraded.”

He also shared that he’s been doing some light training, training around the injury.

Significantly this time, though, it appears that he can increase his training back to how ti should be, as his elbow is fast healing and recovering—if it isn't 100% yet.

Muñoz believes that despite the injury that routed of his scheduled bout against Sonnen, destiny remain kind and he believes he'll get his chance at the middleweight title before this year ends. (The title will be defended by Silva against Sonnen this coming June in UFC 147.)


Muñoz was also asked “You really believe you’ll fight for the title within this year—not by next year—even if you were sidelined by that elbow injury and would be ready to fight only by June?"

“This year,” He replied without hesitation and with unwavering conviction.

A half year still remains after Silva vs. Sonnen takes place, and whoever will be holding the much-coveted title when the dust clears after UFC 147 in Sau Paulo, Brazil will have enough time left to entertain a upgraded, and more efficient Filipino Wrecking Machine.

Uncle Chael is at it again! Target Machida.

UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen has a date with Mark Munoz at the end of January, but he doesn't waste any time in taking shots at possible future opponents, and Lyoto Machida is someone he may end up facing if the former UFC light heavyweight champion decides to drop in weight for his next fight.

Sonnen recently tweeted about "The Dragon."

I don't have time for "pee pee" mouth. All the time I can spare him is enough to cold cock him and walk away.

Of course, Sonnen is referring to Machida, who is known to drink his own urine leading up to his fights. It was most notably shown leading up to his title fight with Rashad Evans at UFC 98, where he would go on to capture the title by second-round knockout.

Evans also made jokes about the subject at the time of the fight, saying Machida's secret weapon could be "urine breath."

Sonnen's response came from a Machida tweet just hours before.

Chael Sonnen, acabei de sair da cirurgia, mas posso lhe dar seu presente dentro do octogono com um so braco e so vc aceitar a luta.

Translation: Chael Sonnen, I just got out of an surgery but I can give you your Christmas gift inside the octagon with only one arm. Just take the fight

Since that fight, Machida's career has been up-and-down, winning two fights and losing three. His losses came against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson.

Sonnen will face Munoz at the upcoming UFC on Fox 2 show, which features a main event between Rashad Evans and Phil Davis. Munoz is a former NCAA Division I wrestler and has claimed victories over Demian Maia and Chris Leben. The winner could be next in line to face UFC middleweight champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva.

If Silva isn't ready by the time Sonnen wants to fight again, a fight versus Machida could be on order, and it would already have a lot of hype behind it.

Jake Shields Would "Love an Opportunity" To Fight Anderson Silva

The last time we saw Jake Shields in the Octagon, Jake Ellenberger ended his night in a mere 53 seconds. Prior to the loss to “The Juggernaut,” he dropped a unanimous decision to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 129.

Shields will face Yoshihiro Akiyama in his next bout, which will take place on February 26 in Saitama, Japan. While the Akiyama fight is at welterweight, Shields may very well be considering a UFC future at middleweight, months ahead of that UFC 144 battle.

While a loss against Akiyama would give Shields the dreaded three straight defeats in the UFC, it seems unlikely that he would be released, as he remains a viable “name” for the promotion. His move to middleweight would not be spurred on by the thought that he can’t compete at the welterweight level, but instead it would most likely be brought on by the fact that his training partner and friend Nick Diaz could very well become the interim UFC welterweight champion.

Diaz will face Carlos Condit on February 4 in the main event of UFC 143. With welterweight champion St-Pierre on the shelf due to recent ACL surgery, the UFC has elected to award the winner of the Diaz versus Condit fight the interim title while St-Pierre heals. If Diaz does capture the crown, the two fighters have made it very clear that they would never want to face each other in a non-training environment.

If Shields does move to middleweight, he would welcome a shot at the 185-pound champion, Anderson Silva.

“That’s a fight I’ve wanted for a long time,” Shields told MMAFightCorner.com. “Anderson’s a phenomenal fighter, one of the best of all time, but I just think stylistically the guys that match up best against him are wrestlers with good jiu-jitsu.

"Chael did great with him until he got caught in a triangle right at the end. His worst matchup’s against good wrestlers and jiu-jitsu, and it’s just he’s a great matchup. Obviously it wouldn’t be an easy fight because I think he has the best standup in the sport, but that’s a fight I would love an opportunity to do.”

Obviously, a number things have to fall in line for Shields to make that move to middleweight, but if they do, Shields would gladly add his name to the growing list of fighters that want a shot at the man that has never lost inside the Octagon, Silva.

Lyoto Machida is considering a move to 185 pounds.

Lyoto Machida is considering a move to 185 pounds.

Fresh off his UFC 140 submission loss to Jon Jones, "The Dragon" is contemplating whether or not to drop to the middleweight division, which is headed by his teammate and close friend Anderson Silva.

"I don't want to change, but if I am not the light heavyweight champion, it really could happen," Machida told Fighters Only.

"I lost but I still have three more fights at UFC. My main goal is to be the champion of the weight class and bring the belt back to Para. Now, it is a challenge to beat Jones and bounce back. We already know the path to get to him, and in the next fight, things should happen with more ease."

Since entering the UFC, Jones has stormed to the top of the division, dismantling every world-class fighter in his path. Machida's awkward style and tricky footwork presented Jones with perhaps the toughest test in his young career.

After a strong start, Machida found himself in trouble in the second round after giving up a takedown that allowed Jones to posture up and unload on damage from top position. A few seconds trapped underneath Jones was all that was needed for Machida to emerge with a massive gash on his forehead.

The cut was the tide changer in the bout.

When the two light heavyweights returned to their feet, Jones landed a short left hand that dropped the Brazilian. The young champion wasted no time in pouncing on his hurt opponent and locking up a modified guillotine choke that solidified his second consecutive title defense and Machida's first submission loss.

"I think we always have to be learning something out of this, and it is through the loss that we learn more than with the victory," Machida said. "I am a professional, and it is part of my career to win or lose."

With ongoing Silva retirement murmurings, a move to middleweight seems plausible for Machida.

Machida and Silva have stated on various occasions that they aren't interested in fighting one another.

Superfight between Silva and Jones not happening

Despite disposing another former UFC champion in Lyoto Machida, it isn't likely Jon Jones will face Anderson Silva in a dream fight that fans have been wanting for some time.

The UFC light heavyweight champion recorded his fifth straight victory after he successfully defended the title at UFC 140 this past weekend. Jones, who was making his second title defense, overcame a difficult opening round against his opponent to submit Machida in the second round.

However, UFC President Dana White said Jones' recent success hasn't earned him any super-fight with the 185-pound titleholder anytime soon.

"I don't see that fight happening anytime soon," White told reporters during the post-fight press conference.

Jones' current dominance over the light heavyweight division has drawn comparisons to Silva, who has ruled over the middleweight division for the past five years. Also, Jones' lanky frame and creative striking techniques are parallel to that of the Brazilian, and thus, has created a substantial amount of hype surrounding the potential bout.

With fellow pound-for-pound kingpin, Georges St-Pierre, currently sidelined with a torn ACL, some fans' have favored the 24-year-old over the French-Canadian to compete against Silva.

But White shot down the idea, citing Jones' inexperience as a possible factor.

"He's 24 years old. He's just getting out there and fighting all the best in the light heavyweight division," he said. "What people have to realize, too, is Anderson Silva is 37 years old. They're in two different weight classes."

Jones' recent victory has granted him some much-needed rest, as he won't likely make his next title defense until mid-2012 against either Rashad Evans or Dan Henderson.

Meanwhile, Silva has been out of action since August when he made his last title defense against Yushin Okami at UFC 134. The Brazilian is expected to return by early summer next year.

So that's probably it for superfights in the UFC, personally I don't think that it will ever happen as new contenders to emerge in each weight class time and time again so we can't really say that the champions have cleaned out their divisions.

Sonnen not Fighting Munoz?

After the recently concluded 2011 World MMA Awards, which Mr. Sonnen hosted, FIghtHubTV caught up with him in an interview in which he stated "I have no fight with Mark Munoz, my next fight will be based on...I don't know how much I can say, but I will be watching the TV Saturday night. Put it that way."

It seems that he is saying that he might be fighting the winner of the fight between Bisping vs. Miller at the TUF finale which might be for a number 1 contender spot.

It's a little disappointing as I really wanted Munoz to get a bout with Sonnen to determine the next challenger for Anderson Silva's UFC Middleweight title.

As nothing is etched in stone yet, let's just wait for more developments about this.