Chael Sonnen is preparing to make his Bellator MMA debut in just a few short weeks at Bellator 170, where he headlines the card against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz. Despite the fact that Sonnen is fighting Ortiz on January 21, he has another longtime rival in his sights, namely Wanderlei Silva.
“The next time I see Wanderlei Silva, I’m going to be fighting Wanderlei Silva,” Sonnen told MMA Junkie. “And he will tell you the same thing.”
Sonnen and Silva were supposed to fight in the UFC after coaching on the UFC Ultimate Fighter Brazil III, but separate suspensions for drug test violations put a halt to their fight, but not their rivalry.
Bellator MMA President Scott Coker, when asked about Silva making his debut and a potential fight with Sonnen, said we may have to wait until the summer.
“It looks like he’ll be ready to go sometime in the summer,” Coker said. “Wanderlei Silva is currently under contract with Bellator, so we have him for multiple years. I think it’s just a matter of time, and hopefully we’ll be able to put that fight together.”
Bellator 170 takes place on Saturday, January 21 from The Forum in Inglewood, California with Chael Sonnen and Tito Ortiz headlining.
