The consensus top-contender for the UFC middleweight title, Chael Sonnen has denied that the bout is official in the past stating that his Brazilian counterpart wouldn’t accept the fight.
All that talk has been put to rest with the news out of the Calgary UFC press conference that their rematch is set in stone, likely for UFC 147.
“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.”
The venue that White is likely talking about is the Estadio Olimpico Joao Havelange, better known by its nickname Engenhao and is the arena that plays host to all the biggest and most important soccer matches.
The number of 80,000 people packing the arena has been thrown around, whether or not they can fit that many into the building without being cussed in Portuguese because half the building cannot see is a whole different kettle of fish.
In fairness, the UFC have never tried to just pack a building to the rafters if it would compromise the experience for the viewer so I don’t expect that to happen.
The building is set to host 60,000 people for the upcoming Olympic games and would probably be a more accurate estimation and if it went ahead would be the largest attendance in UFC history yet still 30,000 short of the record set by Pride Fighting Championships in 2002.
Sonnen vs. Silva is a fight that will draw the people in to the growing Brazilian market for certain, with Silva’s rise in popularity since the UFC’s first venture there last year coupled with his promotional work with Burger King he is a huge celebrity.
Also expected for that event is the coaches battle for the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil with home-grown heroes Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort squaring off coupled with both TUF champions being crowned from the series.
Keep it locked to MMASucka.com for more as one of the biggest events in the promotions history develops.
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