Dana White: Chael Sonnen is Next for Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva

UFC boss confirms rematch for middleweight title

So much for Mark Munoz‘s near-future title aspirations.

The next challenger for UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will be Chael Sonnen. UFC president Dana White on Wednesday told host Jim Rome on “The Jim Rome Show” that Silva’s next defense will be the highly anticipated rematch with Sonnen.

“It’s the fight that everybody wants to see,” White told Rome. “People want to see Chael versus Anderson. Anderson is in this position where he feels like (Sonnen) is so disrespectful, he doesn’t want to give him a shot. But Anderson will end up fighting Chael Sonnen. The answer is yes.”

The Silva-Sonnen rematch was already likely after Sonnen dominated Brian Stann at UFC 136 last month in Houston. After that fight, he called out Silva, who was cageside, and said he wanted to rematch him on the UFC’s Super Bowl weekend card in February in Las Vegas – and even said if he lost, he would leave the UFC for good. Sonnen, at UFC 117, came closer to beating Silva than any other UFC opponent yet, dominating him for more than four rounds before tapping to a miracle armbar triangle.

But a small wrinkle in the rematch plans – or at least one for fans to debate – was thrown into the mix last Saturday when Munoz dispatched Chris Leben with a doctor stoppage after two rounds at UFC 138. Munoz, who has won four straight over the last year and is 7-2 in the UFC, told Joe Rogan he would welcome a title shot with Silva – even though the two of them are friendly.

It appears now, though, that Munoz will need at least one more win at middleweight before he can get his first shot at a UFC title. Just when Silva-Sonnen 2 will take place remains to be seen. Silva is recovering from a shoulder injury that would not likely have him ready in time for the Feb. 4 UFC 143 card in Las Vegas. That card already features a welterweight title fight between champ Georges St-Pierre and former Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz.