Silva ready to answer Sonnen’s jabs

OAKLAND, Calif. -- As Chael Sonnen launched one of the most one-sided trash-talking campaigns in Ultimate Fighting Championship history, middleweight champion Anderson Silva remained largely silent.

For the last six months, whenever a microphone was nearby, Sonnen poked, prodded and mocked the man widely considered the best mixed martial artist in the world.

Only when prompted, Silva would respond by calling Sonnen "funny." But now, as the two prepare to fight tonight at UFC 117 at Oracle Arena, Silva has begun to express himself.

In fact, he made a statement without speaking at Thursday's news conference when he entered wearing a bright pink sweater and a cap on backward -- an obvious response to one of Sonnen's favorite digs, that Silva couldn't possibly win because he likes pink clothes, wears earrings and keeps his hat bill pointed backward.

"To talk about me is easy. Try beating me," Silva said through an interpreter. "I'm used to fighting idiots like him that are talking about me.

"Even a parrot can talk."

And Sonnen has talked. And talked and talked.

He has said so many bizarre and strange things, it's difficult to imagine even he believes much of what he's saying.

In trying way too hard to hype the fight, Sonnen has ripped everything from Silva's manager and former opponents to the Portuguese language to, inexplicably, cyclist Lance Armstrong.

Sonnen accused Armstrong of causing his own testicular cancer through the use of performance-enhancing drugs and then profiting off the situation. Armstrong has repeatedly denied using PEDs.

When called out, Sonnen denied making the comments about Armstrong. During a radio appearance on the nationally syndicated "Jim Rome Show" on Thursday, Sonnen was played the audio recording and said the voice on the tape wasn't his.

All the nonsense might have benefited Silva. At Friday's weigh-in, he heard more cheers than boos despite coming off a bizarre victory over Demian Maia in April that had fans and UFC president Dana White fuming. In that bout, Silva danced and taunted an obviously overmatched opponent instead of trying to finish off Maia.

Silva, 35, is by far the longest-reigning current champion in the UFC, holding the belt since 2006, and his 11 straight victories constitute the longest winning streak in UFC history. Still, he has taken criticism for bizarre performances in three of his last four fights.

He says he is not worried about the detractors. "At the end of the day, man, I won, right?" he said.

Even Sonnen, an All-America wrestler, admits Silva is as dangerous as fighters come.

"I'm confident that I can deal with the pain, walk through it, go to the hospital that night and leave with the championship belt, anyway," said Sonnen, a plus-350 underdog.

There is little question Sonnen earned his title shot. The former World Extreme Cagefighting champion lost his first UFC bout but has won three straight decisions over quality opponents in Dan Miller, Yushin Okami and Nate Marquardt.

Sonnen said his exploits have gone underappreciated because so much of his success came before he joined the UFC.

"I've accomplished far more in this sport than Anderson Silva. He's accomplished more in this company, but he doesn't have the resume in this sport that I have," Sonnen said. "The fact is (the media) finally started paying attention (to) the fact I've been beating guys for eight years. That's you being behind, not me."

The matchup is the only title bout, but the card is full of championship implications.

Thiago Alves will finally get the chance to avenge a 2006 loss to Jon Fitch, with the winner getting the next shot at the welterweight title Georges St. Pierre will defend against Josh Koscheck this year.

That could present an interesting scenario, as Fitch has said he will not fight Koscheck, his good friend and training partner. White disagreed, stating emphatically that fight would happen if Fitch and Koscheck are victorious.

Alves, who hasn't fought in 13 months because of medical issues, missed weight by a half-pound. He will be fined 20 percent of his purse.

Las Vegan Roy Nelson can also qualify for a title shot if he defeats Junior dos Santos. The winner will fight the victor of October's heavyweight title bout between Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez.

Also, UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes will fight Ricardo Almeida, and Clay Guida will meet Rafael dos Anjos.

The card will air live on pay per view at 7 p.m.

Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509.