Chael Sonnen har nog vart offer för en av de största comeback-vinster i UFCs historia när han förlorade i mot Anderson Silva på UFC 117. Nu berättar Sonnen mer om detaljerna bakom förlusten som kostade honom världsmästartiteln.
Det var i augusti 2010 som den hajpade matchen mellan Anderson Silva och Chael Sonnen gick av stapeln. Månaderna innan hade media rullat på högvarv när Sonnen gick på med sitt sedvanliga skitsnack, men alla förväntade sig nog en rätt snabb seger från Silvas sida då han på den tiden visat om och om igen hur dominant han var.
Historisk vinst
Vad vi fick se var dock 20 minuter där Chael kontrollerade Silva på marken och när matchen gick in i femte ronden såg det ut som att vi skulle få en ny mellanviktsmästare. Men Silva visade varför han bar bältet och lyckades slänga upp en triangel när det bara var någon minut kvar av ronden som tvingade Sonnen att klappa.
Många år efter förlusten berättar nu Chael i en intervju med Burt Watson hur han ser på förlusten idag, och delar även med sig några nya detaljer.
”Ok, so that was my first time in the fifth round. I had been scheduled for two other fights that were five-round contests in the WEC, (but) we never saw all five rounds, though. So it was my first time in the fifth round,”
“The reason I bring that up is when you talk about running out of gas, I can tell you I was for sure very tired. Now, I don’t ever remember having a fight in my life where I left with any energy. I used it all, and I’m used to being tired. But this maybe was another level.”
I do remember one thing, which was in the fifth round – which I had never been to before – the corner had told me before the round that it was the fourth round, that we had two rounds to go. And I only bring that up to you because I have often wondered would I have done something different if I knew there was only a minute left? A minute left and I’m gonna be the world champion as opposed to a whole other round. That isn’t an attempt to blame the corner, I’m just sharing a story with you about that specific moment.”
“Five isn’t all that big of a number, but when you’ve never been in the five-round club before it’s a very unique experience,”
“You can look at fighters that have been doing this 20-25 years – Vitor Belfort comes to mind, absolute legend, world champion, will be in the Hall of Fame. He is not in the five-round club. He has never gone five rounds, and I don’t suspect he ever will. It’s a very rare club. Not many guys ever main event or have a title fight (or) are ever put in five rounds, let alone go the duration.
“I did lose track of the rounds. I didn’t really know where I was and he hadn’t hit me that many times, but every time he hit me, it affected me. So between all of the chaos that goes on, (I) lost track of the rounds and it was a choke – it wasn’t an armbar – that made me tap. I didn’t really know where I was. … It’s one of these things that, when you start to go out, even if it’s for half a second, it could be five minutes. It’s kind of like when you go to sleep at night. Have I been asleep five hours? Have I been asleep five minutes?”
Anderson Silva Vs. Chael Sonnen är en av de matcherna som gått till historien i UFC och går att uppleva om ni klickar på den här länken.
