UFC 148 Weigh-in Video: Anderson Silva Cheap Shots Chael Sonnen

Posted on July 6, 2012 by MMAWeekly.com Staff

LAS VEGAS – The heat between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and UFC 148 challenger Chael Sonnen boiled over at Friday’s weigh-ins in Las Vegas. Silva momentarily lost his cool and launched a shoulder punch that caught Sonnen in the face when the two squared off for photographers.

MMAWeekly.com captured the explosion between Silva and Sonnen in the UFC 148 weigh-in video below…

Jmoney

silva’s gay for that one. If you’re gonna throw a cheap shot at least make it count…lol
- kevstinx
  
  How does this make Silva a homosexual? grow up
  - MikeMc1983
    
    He didn’t call him a homosexual. He called him gay. I’m offended that you call homosexuals gay. Such a bad phrase.
    I’m actually bothered by this…. Or I’m not.
    - kevstinx
      
      So Anderson is happy? Make your mind up!
      - MikeMc1983
        
        No, I’m pretty sure j Money meant queer. I was just trying to show how far the politically correct crap can go. Groups of people just need to get over themselves. There just words. I wish I could see the day that when someone gets all upset over a word used, they smack themselves back to sane.
      - Maine2Alaska
        
        how do i put a picture in my profile like u did? how come i cant check out anyones profiles? .. like george clooney said as batman “will you help me”?
- kevstinx
  
  If he wanted to be DQ’ed why didn’t Silva headbutt him? or simply punch him?
  - Maine2Alaska
    
    Yeah, Yeah, well the United States Of AMerica, (which created this company called the UFC) dosent need another guy from a coffee can like you. As Sonnen said, go play in the mud and shut up
b-soc

I think it was the perfect cheap shot – not enough to hurt but enough to insult.
Towers66

What an embarrassing moment for the sport. Silva should be stripped of his belt and removed from fighting in the UFC. Not an acceptable action for a champion to commit. It really is bad for the sport…hype is through the roof right now after that and sales are even higher for the PPV scene but that is some street antics that should not be tolerated (example: Paul Daley)All the BS Sonnen talks about being the REAL champ seems pretty legit after taking a cheap shot like that and not even bitching. Any other non-HUGE!!!! fight/fighter would be DQ’ed right then and punished further shortly afterwards. Boo to Silva for this crap.
- jonnypatrick
  
  Wouldn’t hurt my feelIngs!
- B-rok
  
  A fine ok. But stripping away his title? Kicked out of the ufc? So let me get this straight dwi’s, dui’s, steroids, and money laundering are all ok. But a shoulder check is the death penalty. Get real!
- JDM
  
  An embarrassing moment for the sport? I hate when ppl say that. Whos embarrassed, you? And who are you embarrassed in front of? You sound like a little girl. These guys are going to step into a cage tomorrow night and try to smash each others faces. Silva threw a shoulder, not a fist. It didnt hurt Sonnen. Was it good sportsmanship? Of course not but neither is all the horrible things Sonnen has said. This is a true grudge match with real raw emotions behind it. Silva is not scared or trying to be DQed as some of you have mentioned. He just cant wait to finally get his revenge. Its bound to happen making mortal enemies square off like this. Ive seen guys get pushed and shoved plenty of times. This was no more out of line than that.
  - zacharydetal
    
    Glad to see someone with some common sense. I couldn’t agree more.
    - jared499
      
      Agree with the embarrassment to the sport being too much, I mean these guys get paid to fight who are they are embarrassing by being agressive. But I am disappointed that Mr Dana White is not talking or taking action. He banned Paul Daley, whose cheap shot was much more egregious, for cheap shots on KOS after the fight. Well Anderson does not even make it to the fight to throw a cheap shot. I am also disapointed as fan of Anderson Silva, that was just bush league throwing a shot like that, Sonnen must have gotten in his head.
      - kevstinx
        
        It became a disgrace when Sonnen starting promoting the sport like a WWE event. Oozes with arrogance, I thought MMA was about discipline and respect, that went right out the window with Sonnen. Imagine Sonnen being a politician? You would not want to live under his lies and manipulation, absolute delusional scum, I would be ashamed if he was a fella country man, thank god I am not from the USA. Sonnen lives in his own little world, and hopefully will be in another world very soon.
- Anthony
  
  Towers I agree, condoning that crap is uncalled for. Silva is really showing what a punk he really is. In all of Sonnens antics he never physically touched Silva. A cheap shot like that has no buisness in any professional sport–I hope Chael hurts this punk bad. Way to cheapen your legacy you douche.
  - JDM
    
    When Anderson KOs Sonnen tmrw night I want you to picture me laughing in your face.
- seanbarone
  
  come on guys it was a push with his shoulder bad for the sport??? these guys are cage fighters come on!!!!
- Buzzer
  
  Are you for real? Stripped of the belt he’s defended for how many years because he gave a half assed shoulder to a guy who has talked so much crap about him, his family and his country. You should really take a long hard look at yourself.
  
  I was expecting more at the weigh in to be honest. Chael is a piece of scum. He is a disgrace and embarrassment to the sport of MMA.
  - MaritalArtist
    
    Agreed. I don’t think it was that bad. It was bad, and a UFC fighter at the end of the rope with Dana might have gotten DQ’d, but if wasn’t that bad. Chael has done worse to Anderson, I think, with all his attempts to rule up the “non-champion”, lol. That said, I hope Chael wins to defend his belt, again!!!
- Zaire
  
  Sonnen was bitching for 2 years, the only reason he’s not bitching because he is completely drowsy by the diuretic drugs he’s taking for lose water to fit in for this fight.
  You call him “Legit champ” for one well deserved cheap shot but he was talking shit, taking steroids for 2 years. what a champ. HRT champ!
ruditanto

Only the cowardest of the coward can throw a perfect cheap shot. Cheap shots are that. Cheap. Silva is really looking for a way out with all this physical aggressions this week. The last time he was uncharacterically pissed before fight was the Maia fight when Damian said he wanted to break one of his eight spider arms. It was the fight where Silva ran around in the octagon.
- gnodeb
  
  I remember Maia was laying on the ground waiting for Silva to join him. For some reason it is easier to hate Silva for that.
- kevstinx
  
  In short, that is the only way Sonnen has a chance of winning the belt. By defeating someone else. Funny how he big’s up lesser fighters
Towers66

Side note: I really want to watch this fight. So does the rest of the “paying” fans so a cancellation is not even realistic. But…..I had to vent. **** anderson silva. He’s still a bad mofo either way though.
http://www.facebook.com/mateusmaia93 mateusmaia

All of you criticizing Silva are a bunch of hypocrits! Sonnen spent the last 2 years talking shit about Anderson and his country, family, trainers, friends. Do you really think it is so absurd that he finally lost his cool? Put yourselves in his position and see if you could ignore a guy like Sonnen all this time. Honestly, even the dumbest guy on the planet had what happened at the weigh in comming. I’m actually a Sonnen fan, I like the guy, but he has been looking for this since their last fight, and now he found it. I don’t know if getting into Silva’s head was a great or bad thing for him, but now he has to deal with the consequences.
jonnypatrick

Silva is wanting out of this fight for sure and it proves Chaels point. Sonnen is going to destroy this guy. Mike Dolce knows what the fu@k is up, Sonnen dropping 20 pounds in a day without a strenuous workout. It’s gonna be a long night for the Spider!
- shereko
  
  yeah he wants out of a fight against a guy he’s already beaten… yeah I’m sure thats what it is. hahahaha be here tomorrow jonnypatrick and admit when you’re wrong. Plus you don’t drop 20lbs in a day without a strenuous workout, not possible, you believe this because Chael said it? LOL ok…
Ya_Veo

Should we expect Silva the track star this time?
Maine2Alaska

First,, I’m glad to see Anderson acting like this. it hypes it up. But I called it the other day… he is going to lose fans weather he wins or loses.. 2nd, I got a feeling Chael has about 300 + of those shots for him in the fight tomorrow..
http://www.facebook.com/HcheckmateR mateaugustinovic

hahaha silva is a punk for that now i know hes scared
maddawgmar

He definitely is looking for a way out, I agree with you all and Sonnen he is trying to get the commission to DQ him. And frankly he should be, that behavior is unexcusable outside the ring. And if I remember correctly against NSAC rules. If it wasn’t a title fight and would screw the non offender a chance at the title I believe he would be DQ’ed. Stick and stones Silva.
dgs

Silva is a very professional fighter who is always respectful to his opponents. That was very uncharacteristic of him, and while not professional, it’s no secret there is a lot of animosity heading into this fight. I think that shoulder tap was a way of saying, “I’m coming for you Sonnen.”

Again, not professional, but since it’s so out of character I would not hold it against him.
Lib

I find it funny that the one guy who just said a few days ago at the press conference that he respects all his opponents and would shake Sonnen’s hand after the match because his parents raised him to be respectful was the guy to throw a sucker punch… definitely a bad look for Anderson, and our sport, especially leading up to the biggest fight in MMA history…
- http://www.facebook.com/twist2nightmare michaelcarson
  
  that wasn’t a sucker punch. it was a shoulder. and he didnt even use force it was more to show sonnen that he’s gonna get ****** up tomorrow
- MaritalArtist
  
  How about if silva follows in sonnen’s footsteps and just tones it down, since the fight is only a day away? Why not show sonnen how he feels in the octagon? That’s what it’s there for, is it not?
Maine2Alaska

I agree this fight is big. But just for the discussion.. Is this really the biggest fight in mma history? I cant decide one way or the other..
- gnodeb
  
  If we are talking about MMA as a sport I don’t think it is. Sonnen can win, this is MMA and anything can happen… but he is not in the spot light because of his MMA results. He is 6-4 in UFC and he finished only one fight. On paper, without hype, Silva is huge favorite in this one.
  Then again, if we are talking about circus, probably yes. This can be largest PPV number in the history of UFC.
  - MaritalArtist
    
    I think this is the biggest fight ever. Ok, name a fight that was bigger? Maybe if undefeated mayweather lost a close decision to pacquiao, then that rematch might be as big. But I can’t really think of any Tyson, Muhammad, Tito ortiz, sugar ray Leonard, or any other fight that’s as big as this. Also, if Diaz were to fight GSP it could be close,, and especially it it ends in a close decision, then that rematch might be bigger. Any thoughts?
    - gnodeb
      
      I already said that if we are talking about circus this fight is BIG. If we are talking about competition, were results are more important then talking then it should be really easy to find fight witch is more serious. Compare these UFC results on the day of the fight (win:finish-loss) :
      GSP (10:7-2) vs (8:4-0) Fitch
      Dos Santos (7:5-0) vs (7:7-0) Cain
      Rashad (7:4-0) vs (6:2-0) Machida
      
      to
      Silva (14:12-0) vs (6:1-4) Sonnen
      
      If we are talking about result, sonnen is preaty weak challenger. But he knows how to talk to masses
zacharydetal

Wow you guys are really reading a lot into this. Things happen in the heat of moment. It’s not like he threw a punch or did significant damage. I’m sure silva wants to get dq’d and forgo the millions of dollars he would be making. He’s probably trying to duck chael even though he already beat him and not to mention chael hit him with everything he had and couldn’t finish him or even cut him. Chael will get knocked out tomorrow or submitted. Please try not be so stupid.
JDM

If anything was out of line it was that lame WWE speach sonnen gave afterwards. Sonnens got some good Jokes and lines sometimes but thanks for coming out with that one tonight.
Buzzer

You now what, people can say it was a cheap shot and unprofessional etc. And that’s fine. I would agree. If there hadn’t been the torrent of abuse and BS and nonsense from Chael. For how many years has he talked crap about Silva, his country, his martial arts, his heritage. Don’t forget his childhood and his wife, if you want to get technical. Smack is great for a fight but Chael took it way over the line. So he gets a shoulder in return, who cares?
Brazilkevin

Anderson did nothing more then what Chael has done. Now who is in who’s head. That all it is Anderson is just trying to get into Chael’s head.
Neither one of them is scared. It’s all hype people, stop trying to make it more then it is. It is going to be a great fight. Both can win this fight. I will say this, if Anderson brings his ‘A’ game Chael is in for a rough night.
headkick murphy

Well I guess Anderson found a way to get ahead on the Fightmetric stats.
- bigwurm
  
  LMFAO……. its the only way he can lol love this comment
  - gnodeb
    
    Silva and Sonnen are fighting in the same organisation in the same division. Silva has 14-0 record with 12 finishes and 9 title defenses. On the other hand Sonnen has 6-4 record and had finished only one fight.
    If we are talking about sport, Sonnen should not be proud of the fact that he landed 300 punches and made no damage. Silva made way more damage with his 10 shots and he finished fight. That should matter more then 2 years of talking…
    - MaritalArtist
      
      He did plenty of damage to Anderson. Did you see the huge swelling on the left cheek?? Also, the dude was limping afterwards! Did he jump on top of the cage?? Uh, no.
brokenose

this shoulder bump was staged………….

Remember…..selling tickets is the objective.

We all remember the night that St. Piere tried to make a “smack talk” comment to Matt Hughes in the cage, right after Matt won.

He was told to do it, and he was uncomfortable.
pooby

If you watch and listen super closely you can see Sonnen’s eyes start to roll back in his head after the shot and Rogan shouts ‘Oh, he’s rocked!”.
- Maine2Alaska
  
  hahaha, yeah i heard it too! You hear Joe’s grumbly voice, “ohhh he’s rocked!”
Lib

Call it whatever you want, a cheap shot, a should bump ect fact of that matter is Anderson hit Sonnen, and for someone who repeatedly says hes a professional and shows all his opponents respect he made himself look like a rookie who let his opponent mindf*ck him. Say all you want about Chael being disrespectful and whatever else he is always calm, cool, and collective, and has never physically out lashed on anyone. Anderson is currently the best in the world and I have nothing but respect for him and anyone else who steps into this sport, but, Anderson’s personality is fake, his imagine has been created by his team for him to look like some amazingly respective dude that all kids should look up to…his image is just as if not more fake than Faber’s and that’s what I don’t like about him…we all know he understands english he didnt need Soars to translate and he speaks it well enough to at least answer some of the questions in english!
- JDM
  
  You should work on your english too. Listen up. Andersons pissed right off and if you think that shoulder was bad wait till you see the beating Sonnens gonna take tmrw night. Sonnen deserves every bit of it. He ran his mouth and this is the result. What you guys are not getting here is that this is not a regular sport fight anymore. This is an all out grudge match between two ppl who hate each other. Silva does talk of respect but Sonnen deserves none of it. It took a lot to bring this side of Silva out and I think most people would have the same hatred for an opponent if they said half the things Sonnen has said. I like sonnen dont get me wrong but he asked for it and now he’s got it.
- shereko
  
  LMAO is it more fake than Jon Jones, “I’ll never get a dwi and disgrace the UFC.” hahaha gtfo
  - shereko
    
    shouldn’t have went under that comment… board messed up again
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=633528676 patrickferguson

lets keep it real, silva is a cheater and a self serving cheater…he is the only fighter to be caught on camera taking the vasoline off of his face and applying it to his arms,shoulders, and chest…not a trainer by accident…him, caught 3 times on camera…just shows what kind of cheater he is..chael will use him as a whooping boy and take him to the wood shed for the whooping he sooooo deserves. silva wants to be dq’d, he is scared. he openly admitted he targeted Cote’s knee in that fight because nothing else was working…dawm cheater.
- B-rok
  
  Chael is the cheater. Did you forget he was suspended for cheating! The silva grease thing is ridiculous. Fighters are allowed to wipe their face and touch their body. Ufc changed the rule in 09 because of gsp greasing. I hate defending silva because I want to root for chael. But sonnen fans are like scientologist believing whatever makes them happy!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=633528676 patrickferguson

hopefully they keep the camera on silva as he enters the ring to see if he cheats again.is the ufc not watching for this…too much $ on the line
- shereko
  
  You’re an idiot… hopefully they check Chaels TRT results. Get a clue
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002041189808 karlyhuey

After watching the cheap shot I do believe Chael will win this fight. Anderson will come out firing and get taken down. With no regrets to take down defense.
- gnodeb
  
  You know that taking down is not an instant win? He has to survive 25 minutes with Spider in cage.
shereko

Thats the only way Sonnen would get the title… It wasnt even a big deal, quit begging
fightfankevin

Who cares about the shoulder? The important thing is this continues to show Sonnen is in Andys head. The question is will andy come out a killer or have an adrenaline dump and play into Sonnens hands.
megadownloadgra

Silva is so furious, he can’t win that match
stak

Silva is a disgrace to the sport. He only shows how Brazilians truly are and how that’s all they ever will be, ghetto trash.
- gnodeb
  
  We all know that. They are too emotional. I don’t like it but I was expecting it. But I didn’t expect too see so mush Sonnen’s supporters in last 2 years. To see that people thinking that Spider is fake compared to Sonnen. That is crazy I’m serious…
- Zaire
  
  How brazilians truly are? tell me how Brazilians truly are?
  - elguapo
    
    Hahaha, what brazilians truly are?!? That’s priceless, how the f*ck does what Anderson silva does at a weigh-in for an mma fight give any indication as to the qualities of ALL Brazilian people? And what the hell does it mean when you say someone is fake? Asin counterfeit or they’re not real?
khumbufalls

First round, go, Chael gave Silva the birds, Silva got pissed and rushed in got taken down and pounded out maybe submitted.
- shereko
  
  Chael doesn’t finish anyone how do you think he’ll finish the champ? stfu
jonathantaylor

Alot of yall are overexaggerating about everything. Is what Silva did a cheap shot, definitely. But for all we know, who is to say that Dana did not purposely tell Silva and Sonnen too step up their animosity even more this week to generate more pay per view sales. Im in no way saying this sport is fixed or that there animosity towards one another is fake. but hey if the fans see a pissed off silva, it might make even more people by this pay per view which in turns puts more money into the company and both fighters bank accounts. also too everyone needs to stop reading too much into what chael says. im a die hard silva fan, but chael is fucking hysterical which the shit he says. chael is the best fighter/promoter in the sport, extremely intelligent and happens to be a great fighter. i bet if any of you got the chance to meet chael and talk with him, you would probably actually like him. the guys is trying to sell a fight and get into the head of his opponent and he is doing a good job at it. but as far as banning anderson silva that is b/s. I dont see anyone saying that nick diaz needs to be banned, he threw a fucking punch at bj at the ufc 137 weigh-in. everyone needs to chill, grab a beer or your beverage of choice and enjoy a good fight tonight.
b-soc

I still think it was a thing of beauty! LOL!!!
johnt

for all you Sonnen haters keep something in mind, he has done EXACTLY what the UFC and his management have asked him to do. He has hyped, or overhyped, a main event fight into the heads of millions of people. And for those who think he has gone too far lets look at the numbers. For main event PPV fighters it is not uncommon for Uncle Dana to give them 1/4 point on the PPV revenue. So lets look at raw dollars for Sonnen’s wild antics. If this PPV brings in 350,000 buys, which it very well could. The UFC would make $17,482,500 in buys. Sonnen and Silva would then get a BONUS check of $43,700 on top of their earnings and sponsorship dollars.
Now lets say Sonnen stayed quiet and didnt hype the fight and they did the average 240,000 buys. The UFC would make $11,989,000 in revenue and the fighters would get $29,900 each.
I think the trash talking and hype is well worth it. And for the record, I wouldnt doubt they get either .5% or even 1% of revenue for this one anyway….
shereko

The funny thing is, is that Anderson stayed calm for 2+ years and everyone was bored by him, and now all the Chael fans finally have a very very small something and they jump over it, like its as bad as testing positive or saying something about the guys wife, or money laundering etc… stfu. That was no different than any Nate Diaz weigh in. Yet most of the Chael fans think Diaz is awesome for it. Just call it like you see it if you don’t like Anderson. Plus if you think he should have the belt taken for that because its the only way you’re getting it off his waist is insane just like most of these comments… WAR SILVA we’ll see tonight!
http://www.facebook.com/yannick.messaoud yannickmessaoud

Tired of waiting i am soooo tired of waiting, this fight is sick sick sick sick sick. I really hope it lives up to the first one. Silva is pissed, or he feels threatened either way its gonna bang. Sonnen is so amazing.
shereko

If tables were turned and Sonnen did the shoulder bump the same people would be screaming “WAR SONNEN” and how he showed he’s not scared of the champ… flip flop it and the exact same people are all up in arms, because they know Chael doesn’t finish anyone, and only way he can win is if he holds him down and “lay and pray” for 25 min. Funny for you tools to root for a boring fight, but you know its the only way the strap leaves the waist of Silva.
josemartinez

It wasn’t that big of a deal. I like both fighters. I do feel that Silva for years was a very unrespectful fighter with his taunts and dancing around in a lot of his fights. So what if Chael is talking a lot of smack. He has the right to, and if it bothers Silva so much, well who cares. We should all be happy Silva is finally going to have to fight again for the 2nd time, becuase all of the other fights were washed up fighters that I would never pay to see on ppv. I like that Chael doesn’t care and has no repspect and it bothers Silva so much. What a puss!
b-soc

What I don’t get is all you guys bagging on Silva for a little shoulder nudge. If that is the case, you must think Nick Diaz should be in prison for the things he’s done at weigh ins! LOL!!!
http://www.facebook.com/gustavo.breda.3 gustavobreda

Sonnen = trash

Silva will destroy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WhiteboyGBJJ

If Sonnen is half the man he states he is, Silva is due for an ass whipping for that one. Either way, it should be an interesting fight.
elguapo

I read these comments before viewing the video and i have to say I was disappointed by the “shoulder strike”. The earlier weigh-in where someone put their head against some other bloke was as bad. As for someone saying he should be dq’d and stripped of the title?!? Wtf?? Things like that are so common it’s untrue, we’d be left with no roster if you were banned for that sort of stuff. I’m also a bit unsure how it proves silva is scared of Chael, if I was scared of someone, the last thing I would do is disrespect them with a cheap shot. Personally, I’m not that bothered who wins, I usually support the underdog in most fights.

It’s funny though isn’t it? The only fighters that garner so much commentary and partisan support are Diaz, Sonnen and Lesnar before he quit. You look at most threads about other fights and the majority of people will discuss potential outcomes fairly sensibly and objectively, but when it comes to those three, people go nuts??
elguapo

On a different note entirely, anyone else fine Mike Dolce’s face really annoying? His smile really grates on me. And why is he always at ringside/weigh-ins with fighters? He’s a nutritionist and helps them with what to eat so they make weight. Just cook the dinner bitch and let the men fight.
bodhi2020

“This is bad for the sport.”

“Silva is a punk for this.”

“He scared and he want out!”

All vastly interesting and credible points. I guess roiding before a fight isn’t a sign of cowardness, isn’t bad for the sport, and isn’t being scared…

I swear MMA fans are the dumbest of the bunch in any professional sport. When a should bump brings out these bleeding hearts, yet steroids and money laundering are perfectly acceptable, you’re dealing with bias idiots.
shereko

I just want to say the real champ won… And I want to see the Sonnen backers admit they were wrong