"I ain't never scared"
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White tells Pro MMA Now the one thing that makes Chael Sonnen different from all the other fighters whom 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva faces inside the Octagon is that Sonnen doesn't shake in his boots when he sees the Brazilian standing across from him:
"The thing I like about Chael, he's nutty as hell, I mean half the shit the guy says is like what, right? But, he backs it up. When the guy goes in there and fights man he fights. I know this, most guys go in and they're scared when they fight Anderson. They're intimidated. He's got like that (Mike) Tyson aura. People are scared and afraid. Chael Sonnen is not afraid of Anderson Silva. He's not. And that makes it a completely different fight than anybody else he fights."
White seems to be stating the obvious seeing as how Sonnen has spent the better part of the last three years poking fun and calling out "The Spider" every chance he gets.
Of the 13 different opponents Silva has faced during his dominating tenure with the UFC, the rabble-rousing Republican has been the only one that has come close to defeating him, giving the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt all he could handle at UFC 117 two years ago before falling victim to Anderson's crafty mat work in the waning seconds of the final round.
The "American Gangster" looks to make the most of his second opportunity at dethroning Anderson as the two are on a collision course for UFC 148 which is set to go down on July 7, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
So, what exactly does it mean to have that "Mike Tyson aura?" See for yourself, after the jump.
Can Sonnen finally break through and claim the 185-pound title from the Brazilian bomber and end his dominance atop the Middleweight division?