Wanderlei Silva Comments On UFC 175 Removal, Dana White On Sonnen - Belfort Title Implications
- Wanderlei Silva has released his first statements since being removed from UFC 175 and a fight with Chael Sonnen. Vitor Belfort was tabbed to replace Silva after "The Axe Murderer" did not comply with a drug test from the Nevada Athletic Commission. Sonnen stated on UFC Tonight this week that Silva ran away when an official from the Nevada Athletic Commission approached Silva for a surprise drug test. While Silva tells a different tale than what Sonnen revealed, it all equates to him not being able to obtain a fight license to compete in Nevada in July. Silva, though, does believe he will be able to explain everything once he returns to the country.
"I have invested all my time and I've gone through a lot to make this fight happen. This is all a big confusion," said Silva, in a video interview you can view above. "Everything I've heard, I heard it from the internet."
Silva continued, saying he was at his gym – like Sonnen claimed – when a member of the commission showed up with papers written in English.
"I told him that I can't read English very well and would need my lawyer present to be able to sign," he said. "Then I had to leave since it was the day of (Renan) Barao's fight and I was really busy in Las Vegas."
- It turns out everything Chael Sonnen said on UFC Tonight recently might not be true. Sonnen now faces Vitor Belfort this July at UFC 175, and stated the fight was for the No. 1 contendership in the UFC's middleweight division, despite the fight being contested at light heavyweight. While promoting UFC Fight Night: Munoz vs. Mousasi in Germany Friday, UFC president Dana White clarified what is at stake.
"I'm not saying he'll [Sonnen] get a title shot, but it will be big for him," White said, in an interview with Fighters Only. "The fight has been made at middleweight, though, so we'll see what happens."
That is another change, as Sonnen said the contest would be at light heavyweight. Chris Weidman defends his middleweight title against Lyoto Machida in the main event.