Live: UFC 148 Silva vs Sonnen II - live updates, blog

By Benny / Roar Rookie

Join us for live updates from the biggest fight in UFC history: UFC 148: Anderson Silva vs Chael Sonnen II.

>> Check out our UFC 148 predictions

Dana White is calling UFC 148 the biggest event in UFC history – so The Roar has grudgingly agreed to be cage side live blogging in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.

The main event will be between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, a rematch for the Middleweight belt.

Silva is being called the greatest MMA fighter of all time (or according to the t-shirts of the Brazilian fans pouring into the MGM Garden Arena ‘The Pele of MMA’).

Chael Sonnen, the self-styled bad guy of the UFC, comprehensively outfought Anderson Silva for four and a half rounds in their last meeting two years ago, before being submitted by a freak triangle choke- the latest stoppage of a fight in UFC history.

There’s genuine animosity between the two fighters, with both claiming the other has gone too far with the personal jabs, and with things getting physical at both the press conference and the weigh in, some of the fighters and media have voicing genuine concern for what Anderson Silva may do to his opponent.

Other voices however have claimed that Sonnen’s skill set is perfectly suited to ending the Silva era.

The undercard is stacked, and includes Tito Ortiz final ever fight, movie star Cung Le up against KO artist Patrick Cote and fights from Forrest Griffin, Chad Mendes, Cody McKenzie, Dong Hyun Kim, and Damien Maia.

Join us for live updates and commentary as UFC 148 unfolds here at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The Crowd Says:

2012-07-09T01:35:50+00:00

Bill Larkin

Guest


As I said in the other thread on this topic, it's okay to knee someone on the ground, as long as it isn't in the head.

2012-07-08T13:55:09+00:00

stam

Roar Rookie


When did it become ok to knee a person on the ground?

2012-07-08T09:25:22+00:00

daniel

Guest


anyone know what chad mendes' walkout song was?

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T06:48:29+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


He's incredible. He was asked at the presser if he'd like to test his skills against Bones and he emphatically said he didn't.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:51:12+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


All in all great event. The undercard was a little underwhelming, but the top three fights were all excellent in their own way. Cote and Cung came to fight and put it all on the line, Forrest and Ortiz did what they could, with the fight finishing in the only way it could have- strangely. In the main event we had a hint of what could have been, with Sonnen dominating the first round but then we saw what we've seen for years and may see for a few more, Pure Silva lethal brilliance. Too good, too dangerous and a gracious champion. Well done Anderson Silva. Well done done UFC. Well done traveling Brazilians. Well done to the bartender who I have a date with. Benny

2012-07-08T04:46:16+00:00

Stumpy

Roar Rookie


Yep that's about how it was likely to go Sonnen had his real chance the first time they fought. Silva is a freak

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:41:48+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round two It's allllll over. Sonnen shoot again for a double but can't get the takedown. After a little stand-up Sonnen shoots for a single but is stuffed. Sonnen looks fearful of the stand up and throws a wild spinning backfist, but misses and get's clipped and falls and on the ground he eats a flying knee. On the ground, Sonnen is peppered with strikes and soon there's a stoppage. TKO win for Silva. In the post fight press conference, Silva buries the hatchet somewhat but the crowd isn't having any of it, still booing and calling him Put. Silva calls Chael over and encourages the Brazilian fans to cheer him and then asks him to come around for a BBQ at is house, making reference to Sonnen suggesting Silva's wife should come over to Chael's house and cook him a steak.

2012-07-08T04:35:13+00:00

Steve

Guest


Not now obviously, but after the fights there's going to have to be a discussion about how everyone writing or commenting on The Roar thinks Sonnen is great, and seemingly everybody else hates him. What's that all about? OK, back to reading the updates......

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:31:58+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round One This is it. The soccer chants start before match and both fighters look surprisingly relaxed. Anderson walked towards Chael before the fight and there's a moment when the officials are fearful that the fight might start prematurely but Silva just bows. Unbelievable, Sonnen gets the takedown straight away and spends the whole round on top, getting full mount with 45 second to go. There's a triagle threat for but a moment, but it was a big round for Sonnen...

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:21:43+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Anderson Silva comes out to huge applause with his coaches and Steven Seagal, once again with shooting glasses. You know, just in case it goes down. He's certainly making Chael wait- just getting in his head, as he has been all week.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:18:16+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Personally, I'd love to see Chael win. He's got so much weird personality, he'd be a very entertaining champion and he'd put the belt on the line at the drop of a hat. As he said at the press conference, "If you're 185 pounds and you say my name, we're fighting." He comes out to some awful country song and the crowd boos him, almost uniformly. I would have thought US patriotism would have kicked in but it doesn't seem so.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:15:15+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Now we've come to it, the most anticipated rematch in the sport. Anderson Silva (31-4) v Chael Sonnen (27-7-1) Not much to say about Anderson Silva except that he's a fighter who seems to be from another world....except when he fights Chael Sonnen. Silva is 14-0 in the UFC and simple the greatest MMA fighter of all time, but he very nearly had his record blemished two years ago when Chael beat him down for four and a half rounds before escaping with a submission win against all flow of the match. There's genuine hate here, and I'm actually a little fearful of waht might happen to Chael here, but if he can out-wrestle the Brazilian.

2012-07-08T04:13:23+00:00

Da Madbacker

Guest


Thanx for the update Benny!

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T04:09:21+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round Three What a round. Tito clocks Forrest and knocks him down, but is too tired to follow it up. Tito takes Forrest down and the crowd goes ballistic. Forrest tries for a kimura from the bottom but can't get it.To end the round both men swing wildly but not much connects. Forrest walks out of the cage as soon as the bell sounds and I think we just saw the end of two careers. He's disgusted with himself. Forrest is back in the ring, but it wouldn't surprise me if this was his last fight. Forrest takes is 29-28 on all cards and the crowd haaaaaaaaaates it. Forrest grabs the mic and takes the interview. aTito doesn't think's it's dd, but Joe Rogan is standing around like, "what the fuuuuuuuu..." Forrest is getting all kinds of boos. Joe is telling everyone to chill and Forrest says he wants to keep fighting. Bizarre fight, bizarre ending.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T03:59:25+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round two Tito rocks Forrest with a straight right and the two flail around before clinching and Forrest wakes up. Forrest clips him with a stiff jab, and again, and again. Both men are trying for a spectacular fight, and the will is there but not the speed or power. Forrest is beating Tito to the punch regularly the end of the round. Not very technical but entertaning none the less. Let's see what Tito has in his last ever round....

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T03:52:52+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round One Tito is fight the first and only time as a hall of famer, but Forrest gets a huge roar too. Forrest has the early stand up but Tito gets a takedown and does some good damage from the top- an elbow and two hooks. Tito looks little slow in the ensuing stand up exchanges, but gets another takedown just before the bell. Without looking particularly dangerous, I think Tito got the round.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T03:43:15+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Now we have the co-main event of the evening. Forrest Griffin (18-7) and Tito Ortiz (17-10-1) Light Heavyweight This is going to be something. The one-time face of the UFC, Ortiz is now fighting his last bout and it's going to be emotional, win lose or draw. The thing about Tito though is that he fell of a giant cliff a few years ago and he's only won one match since losing the title at UFC 66. Tito comes out in some sort of gladiator helmet. Forrest, another former champ, looks like he has a little more left in the tank, but he says he was given Tito's swan-fight because they wanted a guy who was big and slow who'd stand in front of Tito and bang. Forrest comes out to Dropkick Murphy's "Shipping off to Boston." This one is going to be good. Tito will go out on his shield if need be.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T03:35:47+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


We just got a shot of Sonnen arriving and then Silva. Amazingly, the Brazilian fans completely drowned out the American Sonnen fans. If Silva gets a KO, it's going to be deafening.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T03:34:12+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round Three As the fighters come out they shake, recognition of the joint effort. Cote cops a knee in the fruit and veg early, but the younger Cote looks sharper and throws solid flurries of punches. From two clinches we see a solid spinning backfist from Cote and then a takedown from Le, but Cote pops up again. Cote gets a single but cant' get the takedown. Cung Le gets the trip with 40 sec to go and Cung Le takes a 30-27 unanimous win. His first UFC victory. Good fight, very deserving winner. Cung Le says he was going to do a backflip, but he's too tired. Crowd likes it. Cung Le says he might keep fighting in the UFC and dedicates his victory to all the 40 year olds.

AUTHOR

2012-07-08T03:25:27+00:00

Benny

Roar Rookie


Round 2 Le once again shows range of strikes, including a spinning heel kick, but gasses a little and Cote gets inside and clips him with some heavy shots. After a minute, both men are cut but neither take a backward step. Great fight, with fortunes going backward and forward...

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