The never ending saga surrounding Middleweight/Light Heavyweight Chael Sonnen continues, as it appears he will not be fighting Vanderlei Silva at UFC 175 on July 5th. In for Silva, who according to Sonnen’s accounts ran away from a drug test, is long time hero on stand by, Vitor Belfort.
First of all, enough testosterone has been pumped by the trio of fighters over the past few years it would turn the Vienna Choir boys baritone. With that said, who cares? Since the incident where Silva did apparently fail to take a random test requested by the state commission, the UFC has released him, back tracked and appear to be keeping him around. Silva himself is on record stating he still wants to fight, that he is committed financially and that this is a mess for him.
But the UFC is moving ahead with plans to license Vitor Belfort to face Sonnen. Belfort himself failed to be licensed for UFC 173, and is pending a review by the Nevada State Athletic Commission of his application for a license.
I really think I would bet that we see Chael Sonnen versus Vanderlei Silva after all is said and done. Belfort is a controversial late replacement, and it really is up in the air as to what the commission will decide. Unlike Silva, Belfort has a history of failed drug tests and his looney toon rants have not helped his cause at all. For Silva”s part, he has spewed a lot of venom Sonnen’s way to back out now, and he knows the licensing process.
This works out great for the UFC> The fact is that their PPV numbers for 2014 are way down, and they are without a few of the major money earners of the last few years (Anderson Silva, George St Pierre). Letting Chael Sonnen cut loose and plug this next fight and making sure he has plenty of material that few will notice that we have heard it all before.
If it turns out to be Sonnen versus Belfort, look for the winner to get a shot at Chris Weidman or Lyoto Machida next (whoever has the belt). If it is Silva who enters the octagon after all is said and done at UFC 175, few would be surprised by that.
