Soares Responds To Chael Sonnen and Silva's Critics

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When you sit atop the mountain, not just the divisional mountain of mixed martial arts, but the whole damn thing, you are bound to draw the jealousy and undivided attention of more than a few critics and potential opponents.

Potential opponents meaning those you have yet to face, as well as those you have already laid to waste wanting another chance. There will always be guys who wish it was still '82. They know with a second chance if Dana White would put them in, there is no doubt in their mind they would take state.

When your name is Anderson Silva, being the greatest active fighter in the sport pound for pound, not to mention one of the best ever, criticism and jealousy is par for the course.

No where was that more apparent lately than this past weekend at UFC 136 after Chael Sonnen put on a stellar performance over a lethal Brian Stann to become the man many consider the favorite to challenge Anderson Silva next for his title. Unless you live under a rock on Mars you know this is Sonnen's second quest towards the UFC middleweight strap.

Sonnen laid down the gauntlet telling the world and “The Spider” a like, “Anderson Silva...YOU SUCK!” He proceeded to call out Silva stating if Sonnen won Silva would leave the division, and if Silva won that Sonnen would leave the UFC forever.

As is to be expected with Sonnen, the buck certainly did not stop there with him later going on to directly insult not just the fighter he wishes to face but his family as well, specifically Silva's wife. This has created quite a buzz in the MMA community and drawn the fire of Anderson Silva's manager Ed Soares.

Soares sat down with Todd Jackson of Hurtsbad MMA and went into detail about both his respect for Sonnen, and frustration with Sonnen's coloring outside the lines when it comes to fight promotion.

Soares first talked about his thoughts on Sonnen's relentless trash talk and the difference between promotion and disrespect.

The Black House manager explained, “I don't know if people listen to what he says, they hear it, but I don't know if they listen. Hey man, he has a mouth, he has a right to say what he can, he has that right to say what he wants to say.”

Soares discussed the line he feels Sonnen crossed. “I find some of the things, whether he is marketing a fight or not, I feel some of the things he says are disrespectful. You shouldn't go and talk about other people's families. If you want to talk about Anderson, talk trash about his training, his coaches, talk trash about me, that's fine.”

According to Soares that's where the leeway ends. “But when you start talking about slapping his wife on the ass and having her cook him a steak, I just find that disrespectful.”

Even as classless as he sees the comments, he was sure to explain this is business. “I really don't think Chael Sonnen is a bad guy. He has always been real respectful to me. Once in awhile in he tends to talk a little trash. But I really don't take that too seriously. But I just think he starts crossing the line when he talks about his Anderson Silva's wife.”

“Insulting an individual when it pertains to that individual, that can help promote a fight.” Soares said, “But I don't see where he should be talking about Anderson's wife or Anderson's kids. Which he didn't talk about his kids but who knows, maybe that is next. There are no boundaries with Chael.”

When asked if he sees this as a tactic on Chael's part to ride Silva's momentum, Soares decisively stated, “I can guarantee you that. Who ever listened to a word Chael Sonnen had to say before the Silva fight? The only reason he talks about Anderson Silva is because that is the only time people will pay any attention to what he has to say. When he doesn't talk about Silva no one will listen.”

Soares added, “He has figured out that by talking about Anderson Silva that people are going to hear what he has to say. That is his only vehicle really. Other than talking trash, he never really has too many interesting things to say.”

Sonnen calling out Silva in such a Sonnenesque brash and in your face style did not surprise many analysts or fans. He clearly feels that regardless of a loss to Silva, and his questionable testing issues, that he is the rightful heir to the number one contender's position in the UFC middleweight division, if not the throne itself.

Does Ed Soares agree? “I don't. I mean he had an incredible performance against Brian Stann. But what you have to ask yourself is, Chael Sonnen was in his most dominant position over Silva for four and a half rounds. What happened?”

“If you can't finish someone after four and a half rounds and you're in your most dominant position, you deserve to lose as far as I'm concerned.” Soares stated. “Let Anderson be in his most dominant position for half a round, and I guarantee you you're going to get finished.”

Sonnen may be the number one topic on the Anderson Silva hype train but there is also the return to the UFC of Dan Henderson. The first UFC fighter to ever pose even an ounce of trouble for Silva before he went on to lose by submission to the pound for pound king.

When asked if a fight with Hendo was also on the radar or a concern aside from Sonnen, Soares lit up and emphatically explained why Anderson Silva is worried about nothing more than Anderson Silva. The question clearly struck a nerve.

“To be honest, Anderson Silva is not worried about anything! Anderson is not ducking anybody! It's funny, guys get their ass kicked by Anderson Silva and all of a sudden they want another shot. And when he feels they don't deserve it, now he's ducking them. Ducking them, how could he be ducking them?”

He spoke directly to the men who feel they deserve another shot at that which has already eluded them. “Listen, Dan Henderson, you were tapping out at the end of the second round. Chael Sonnen, you had a great performance but guess what? You tapped out at the end of the fifth round. The bottom line is you can say what you want about giving you another shot.”

To hear Soares tell it, they don't prefer any particular fighter, their fate is in the hands of the UFC brass. “When Dana White and the UFC want to make that fight happen, we will make that fight happen. We don't pick our fights. We don't ever tell the UFC we want to fight this guy or we want to fight that guy. None of our guys have ever chosen any of our fights. The UFC picks them and whatever they say, we take it.”

Soares clearly takes issues with the some of the criticism that is directed at his champion. “That kind of stuff irritates me when they say we are trying to hand pick guys for Anderson. Anderson Silva has fought every top middleweight in the world for the past five years and beaten them. Then he moved up to light heavyweight and knocked guys out in the first round.”

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“If you can't finish someone after four and a half rounds and you're in your most dominant position, you deserve to lose as far as I'm concerned.” Soares stated. “Let Anderson be in his most dominant position for half a round, and I guarantee you you're going to get finished.”


oh how true of a statement that is.

I completely agree with him on guys calling Silva out. These guys know they lost right? They should consider themselves lucky they got a shot in the first place. And Silva's not ducking you if already defeated you. That just sounds childish.

Heh ... I love this...

Chael ... when you tap out .... it doesnt matter when... but when you tap out ,.. you have quit... you threw in the towel.... you admitted defeat. .... you lost... man up ..... get killed in your next fight with Anderson and then go away.

I completely understand where Eddy was trying to go with this and I do support what everyone is applauding here.

However, does the street not run both ways; your telling me that Silva didn't ask for Okami?
His only defeat on his record Okami.....
the guy he lost too......so he shouldn't get a second chance at fighting him once losing to him is what Soares is saying? No?

Unless I'm extremely misunderstanding what he is saying, regardless of the fashion of a fighters defeat a loss is a loss.

Nonetheless, this fight is going to happen, its just a matter of when and where and timing on Silva's Bursitis Shoulder. I don't think anyone can dispute the fact that Sonnen is the clear threat number #1 contender in the MW division; especially with Hendo off gallivanting around LHW with Shogun.

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"To be honest, Anderson Silva is not worried about anything! Anderson is not ducking anybody! It's funny, guys get their ass kicked by Anderson Silva and all of a sudden they want another shot. And when he feels they don't deserve it, now he's ducking them. Ducking them, how could he be ducking them?”

First thing, no one "all the sudden" wants another shot. The guys who wanted the shot, whether they have fought Silva already or not, are guys who re-earned that shot. Silva saying he doesn't feel they deserve it is fuckin bullshit! And yeah, Ed, when a guy pisses and moans like a girl about not wanting to fight someone, then suddenly not having to fight said people... it looks bad lets just leave it at that.

The guys who already got the shot should not be bitching and griping about Silva "ducking" them or whatever. That's the problem.
You got your shot, you lost. Sorry. If you re-earn a shot, great. But if in the meantime you're running around telling everybody who will listen that Silva is afraid to fight you, then you're the asshole, not him. Silva did his job by making you tap out. Just keep doing your job and winning, and you will eventually get your shot.

FFS, these guys are acting like the UFC is out to get them like it's a big fucking conspiracy or something. Didn't Henderson get a title shot coming off of a loss? Yeah, you're such a victim Dan. It's ridiculous that Silva catches shit about this garbage. He's doing what he's supposed to be doing, and that's beating everybody he fights. If Chael or Henderson did what they were supposed to do, they wouldn't be in this position in the first place, and they wouldn't have to spend all day crying about how the guy who already made them quit is somehow in a ass-backwards fairy-tale way afraid of them.

I think the two guys who arguably gave Silva his most difficult challenges are more than within there right to call him out. Regardless of whether he beat them and by whatever means.

I don't care if they make up elaborate tales of ass slapping and steak eating, why you ask?

Because its a lot more interesting than watching him own another guy whose "turn it is" to fight Silva.. . . . . . . . (Okami)

At least Silva will have some fire, and some passion and have a reason to go into the octagon; some fuel for his fire if you will.

The thing about Chael is he is fuckin' crazy, that is the thing that scares Silva as much as no one wants to believe it. Chael is the only fighter crazy enough to fight Silva and not give a shit about the outcome; because he is going to put it all out there. No other fighter in the MW division is walking around asking for a fight against Silva, why?; because he is a bad mf'er and no one wants to get there ass kicked.


95% of Silva's past opponents have not went out and left it all in the octagon, your telling me Okami gave that fight 110%; that is laughable.

I would rather see any fighter high off his ass with reckless abandonment for his condition at the conclusion of fighting Silva then a bunch of guys that talk about how great he is before they even fight.

I'm ranting here, (Apologies)

But how can anyone question the 2 guys in the divisions motives who are asking for Silva when the other 30 guys are not. I don't care who has beat'in who in what title fight for what belt; if the challenger is going to give it 110% and wants the fight; then I want to see it. I don't care if its the 1st time they fight or the 2nd or 3rd.

I think you misunderstand my point.
Of course they want to fight Silva; He's the champ, and everyone in the division should want to fight him. The issue I have is the way in which they are calling him out. They (and some of their fans and Silva detractors) are making it seem as though Silva is somehow the bad guy here. Accusing him of ducking these guys is ridiculous. This isn't boxing. You don't get to choose who you do or do not fight. Does anybody honestly think that Dana would intentionally avoid making a fight just to protect one of the champions, especially one as dominant as Silva? Come on.....

Chael is Chael, and it's not surprising that he continues to say crazy, off-the-wall shit about Silva. But Henderson surprises me when he says things like Silva is ducking me.
I understand that because of how dominant and sometimes controversial Silva is that people want to see him lose, but it's not fair to call his character into question like this over some BS that by all acounts is a completely made-up scenario in which Silva is scratching names off a list because he is afraid to lose and Dana and the UFC are just blindly obeying him.

Silva is 14-0 in the ufc he is not ducking anything.

Ok so he's not "ducking"... but he sure as fuck has no problems voicing his opinion on who he thinks he should and shouldn't fight. Have you ever heard any other Champ do this? NO! Because its bullshit posturing to try and get the fight he wants. "Lucky to get a shot"... Really? If you actually think that these guys don't deserve a shot then you my friend, are delusional. Also, that loss that Hendo was coming off of was against the top LHW... when has Silva ever stepped up his game to do that? Never, nor will he ever. Instead he goes out and befriends the top LHW so as to say he won't fight him "we're friends" BS! Hey, if you can't see through the bullshit blind thats your own problem. But I ain't biting.
So in conclusion, is Silva "ducking", no. But he sure as hell lets everyone know that he would rather not fight him or him... but rather him. Call it what you want.

^^ word.

He does make a lot of reasons why he doesn't want to fight fighter "A" or fighter "B", plus its not up to him to decide who deserves a title shot.

I think regardless of how any fighter is calling out the champ, the champ should be the first to respond by saying "anytime, any place"; or in some instances "I've beat you once, I'll do it again". You don't need this shit about, oh I beat you once already so you don't deserve to fight me a second time. That is all I'm saying

Chrom wrote:

Ok so he's not "ducking"... but he sure as fuck has no problems voicing his opinion on who he thinks he should and shouldn't fight. Have you ever heard any other Champ do this? NO! Because its bullshit posturing to try and get the fight he wants. "Lucky to get a shot"... Really? If you actually think that these guys don't deserve a shot then you my friend, are delusional. Also, that loss that Hendo was coming off of was against the top LHW... when has Silva ever stepped up his game to do that? Never, nor will he ever. Instead he goes out and befriends the top LHW so as to say he won't fight him "we're friends" BS! Hey, if you can't see through the bullshit blind thats your own problem. But I ain't biting.
So in conclusion, is Silva "ducking", no. But he sure as hell lets everyone know that he would rather not fight him or him... but rather him. Call it what you want.

Uhhh, yeah; Didn't GSP just say something along the lines of "Diaz is just hype. Condit is the one who really deserves the shot"? I think that's a pretty good example of another champ voicing his opinion of who he does or not want to fight.
And you're taking the "lucky" thing a little too literally. I mean their proffession- getting to do what you love at the highest level, etc, etc. Not lucky like they slipped and fell into a title shot.

All I hear is how Dan has earned the right to call Silva out because of his own merit in the sport and he's a legend and yadda-yadda-yadda. Well, it goes both ways. Silva has earned the right to say "I already beat him, now I want to fight somebody else". Silva has the right -just as Dan and Chael have the right- to voice who they do and do not want to fight. Blaming the guy who already took care of business against both men for doing the exact thing that they are doing (just in the other direction) is simply biased.

GSP response was after the fight had been canceled, not prior to the booking. Vastly different than saying "I don't think he deserves a shot", when said fight has been brought to the table.

Just the same, he still voiced his opinion on who he thinks he should and shouldn't fight.

Regardless, nobody has been brought to the table at the moment to face Silva, have they? Dana is still deciding (that's right. Dana, not Anderson Silva) who will get the next shot. So claiming that Silva is turning down a fight at this point is a wasted arguement.

My whole point is that if those guys want the fight, good for them. I hope they both someday get their wish. But if they're spending all of the time up until that day talking about Silva being afraid of them and calling his character into question, it makes their respective characters look much worse than his. That's my opinion at least.

Does it? One thing that you pointed out earlier is that, this would be a normal thing if it were just Chael and if it were, most people would just take it with a grain of salt and forget about it. It's just Sonnen being himself. But its not. Hendo isn't known at all for talking shit or disrespecting his opponents. But for some reason he has went out and talked about this on multiple occasions. So much so that he even said if Silva would have agreed to the second fight (i.e. the fight on the table), he would never have left for Strikeforce. Some will bring up the "money issue" as a defense here. But do you really think Strikeforce offered Hendo more than the UFC did? Highly doubtful, and when Silva continued to state his distaste for a rematch with Dan, Henderson said he knew Silva wasn't gonna fight him, so he left. How you can question a man like Henderson's character is beyond me. The guy is as straight forward as they come. Hence the reason why I have no doubts about what he has said.

But your basing your whole arguement on what was supposedly said behind closed doors as Dan Henderson chooses to tell it. If you want to say that his character is enough for you to personally believe that what he is saying is the absolute truth, then I can't change you're mind because you are choosing to believe in heresay. But it's not even close to being a good enough arguement in my eyes.
If you want to debate possibly's and probably's, we can do that, but it's gonna go nowhere.
Because I can say that Dan probably is speaking emotionally (as opposed to truthfully) because negotiations didn't go the way he wanted them to with the UFC.
And I can say that SF possibly offered him more $$ than the UFC, because he was the big-fish in the small SF pond and they were planning on him being their big-draw MW champion.

But I would much rather base my arguement on facts.
Silva defeated Henderson. Silva isn't the UFC matchmaker. Henderson said Silva is ducking him.

The fact is Silva has said on numerous occasions that these fighters he has beaten do not deserve rematches; for whatever reason.

But yet, Silva isn't the matchmaker.....

I completely agree with Chrom in the "fact" that Henderson leaving the UFC had nothing to do with money, he was super hot at the time of his departure and was more inline for a title shot than any other MW at that time. (FACT)

Regardless of what anyone says the fighters definitely have a say in who/when they fight, granted I know they obviously don't make the final decision; but they have some input for sure.

PS - Silva claimed not to be able to speak english prior to his fight against Sonnen, how retarded is that; i have heard/seen him speak english on numerous occasions prior and since then; I would believe Hendo over someone who would lie about something so ridiculous anyday; heresay or otherwise.

Fact: Silva is the match maker......

I'll come back with my real argument after dinner.

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The fact is Silva has said on numerous occasions that these fighters he has beaten do not deserve rematches; for whatever reason.

But yet, Silva isn't the matchmaker.....

I completely agree with Chrom in the "fact" that Henderson leaving the UFC had nothing to do with money, he was super hot at the time of his departure and was more inline for a title shot than any other MW at that time. (FACT)

Regardless of what anyone says the fighters definitely have a say in who/when they fight, granted I know they obviously don't make the final decision; but they have some input for sure.

PS - Silva claimed not to be able to speak english prior to his fight against Sonnen, how retarded is that; i have heard/seen him speak english on numerous occasions prior and since then; I would believe Hendo over someone who would lie about something so ridiculous anyday; heresay or otherwise.

Oh, well since you wrote "fact" in capital letters, then it must be true!!


Aside from the last paragraph- which is ill-informed, unrelated, and shows obvious bias- you're pretty much repeating what Chrom said. Based on a Dan Henderson quote or interview, you don't believe that Anderson doesn't pick his own opponents (but you don't know either way), you don't believe that Dan left for more money (but again, you don't know either way), and you do believe that Silva is wrong for saying he doesn't want to fight a fighter he already beat.....but it's OK for Henderson to say that he does want to fight a fighter he already lost to. That about right?

I think I've said this about every possible way I can, but I'll try it a different way all the same;

Henderson and Sonnen are not wrong for wanting to avenge a loss. But they are wrong for attacking Silva directly and saying it's his fault that they aren't getting it as quickly as they would like. If they were as proffessional and stand-up as people say they are (well, Henderson at least), they wouldn't be telling everyone who will listen that it's Silva's fault that they aren't getting their way, and that in truth, he is actually afraid to fight them.

That is a lame thing to do on so many levels.

Trig,

I'm a realist, and when the facts are undeniable I will use them to form a decsion; when there not readily availible I will use what I can and take in as much information as I can on both sides of the issue.

You probably don't give a shit, which is fine; but with that being said in regards to this issue. I think the one persons information sounds a fuck of a lot more believable and realistic than the others. Yeah, there is nothing saying its fact and it happened; but along your similar argument I suppose is nothing says that it didn't happen.

I think Sonnen is allowed to do or say whatever he wants to get a fight with Silva, doesn't mean I respect him for it. The fact that Chael kicked Anderson's ass and controlled him for a minimum of 4 round in there fight is enough reason for him to deserve a rematch imo; especially in the instance that no other fighter has ever done that. right?

With regards to Henderson he is arguably one of the hottest MW/LHW in any organization, I believe more of what Dan speculates than Silva in regards to their rematch; my belief in Dan is even further solidified now that he has clearly left the MW division to pursue the LHW title cause he is sick of dealing with the drama in the MW div. Seems like an obvious sequence of events to me considering his upcoming fight with Shogun is a title contender elimination fight.

I honestly cannot recall any of Silva's remarks in regards to re-matching Henderson, and am really not sure why they wouldn't let it happen; especially after winning 3 matches after losing his shot at Silva against Franklie, Palhares and Bisping. He had as much of a leg or more than Chael to stand on in regards to asking for the rematch, it was deserved at that time and still is now imo.

We all need to stop going back and fourth between Sonnen and Silva, when Bisping takes the title in 2012 this argument will be moot any way.

Gut feeling the rematch lasts 3 minutes not for Chael. I dunno, this is definately one of the most intriguing rematches I can ever remember that Id want to see.

Whether hes "ducking" anyone, I dont see it considering he submitted both guys in question and has cleaned out the entire division and won twice at LHW. I think hes such a polarizing guy everything he says and does gets broken down and sometimes you get varying points of view, its really nothing new in sports.

lambhimself wrote:

Trig,

I'm a realist, and when the facts are undeniable I will use them to form a decsion; when there not readily availible I will use what I can and take in as much information as I can on both sides of the issue.

You probably don't give a shit, which is fine; but with that being said in regards to this issue. I think the one persons information sounds a fuck of a lot more believable and realistic than the others. Yeah, there is nothing saying its fact and it happened; but along your similar argument I suppose is nothing says that it didn't happen.

I think Sonnen is allowed to do or say whatever he wants to get a fight with Silva, doesn't mean I respect him for it. The fact that Chael kicked Anderson's ass and controlled him for a minimum of 4 round in there fight is enough reason for him to deserve a rematch imo; especially in the instance that no other fighter has ever done that. right?

With regards to Henderson he is arguably one of the hottest MW/LHW in any organization, I believe more of what Dan speculates than Silva in regards to their rematch; my belief in Dan is even further solidified now that he has clearly left the MW division to pursue the LHW title cause he is sick of dealing with the drama in the MW div. Seems like an obvious sequence of events to me considering his upcoming fight with Shogun is a title contender elimination fight.

I honestly cannot recall any of Silva's remarks in regards to re-matching Henderson, and am really not sure why they wouldn't let it happen; especially after winning 3 matches after losing his shot at Silva against Franklie, Palhares and Bisping. He had as much of a leg or more than Chael to stand on in regards to asking for the rematch, it was deserved at that time and still is now imo.

Well....yeah! Totally agree. I can't argue with the justification of each guy wanting a rematch (excedpt Hendo got demolished by a WW in SF, and Sonnen got busted for PED's, but whatever).
Like I said; you can want want you want. But don't be punk about it and blame Silva for your own problems....simply based on your own frustration. Not his fault that you weren't granted an immediate rematch after qutting in match 1. That's all I'm saying. Keep fighting and keep winning... and you will eventally get the fight. But don't cry about it and act like Silva is some kind of all-powerful decision-maker who is keeping you down and single-handedly holding you back. He's just the champ, not the president/matchmaker/CEO/contender blocker.