Anderson Silva makes his return to active participation against a familiar foe. The former UFC middleweight titleholder and Hall of Famer boxes Chael Sonnen soon. While this clash isn’t meant to break any records further, it holds deeper sentiments for ‘Spider.’ His son Kalyl Silva, who inducted him into the Hall of Fame, is on his undercard.
Silva will box Chael Sonnen on June 15 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Both parties recently took to social media to announce it. The professional bout will be five rounds of two minutes at 216 pounds. Esteemed journo Ariel Helwani recently reported the deeds. Joining him on the undercard will be Kalyl Silva, the 25-year-old son and Olympian. Coach Luiz Dorea has pitched in the details.
Kalyl has in his father his biggest inspiration, his greatest idol, and he’s very skilled, …It’s in his DNA…He’s very technical and disciplined. It’s his second training camp with us here…and we noticed how fast he’s evolving. It’s so cool to see Kalyl fighting on the same card [as] of Anderson. This kid has a bright future ahead…
Luiz Dorea of Champion gym, Salvador to MMAFighting on SBN
Kalyl Silva is 2-0, defeating Paulo Roberto via Round 4 knockout in his 2022 debut. Seven months later, the pro boxer won a four-round decision over Peter Emmanuel Gonzalez. Both of Anderson Silva’s kids went the route; this March marked a year since his other son, Gabriel Silva, made his pro-boxing debut.
Anderson Silva and his son Kalyl will both be competing on June 15th in a boxing event.
Anderson will fight Chael Sonnen. That’s not a typo. Him and Chael will fight again.
When one chapter ends, another one starts.
The next generation of Silva is here. pic.twitter.com/TtMjtaJHyl
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) May 20, 2024
What’s more, much like Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, his son’s bout is also a rematch. Kalyl Silva will run things back with Bahia native Paulo Roberto at the Spaten Fight Night event on Saturday. 2020 Olympic gold medalist Herbert Conceição, who trains with both Silvas at the Champion Gym, also joins the Spaten Fight Night lineup.
Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen’s feud forever enshrined in the Halls of Fame
Even more so than Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen have epitomized combat sports feuds. Pundits and fans alike call it the best rivalry. Twelve years later, the duo will run things back in a fateful trilogy. Even Silva’s son Kalyl Silva fights on the undercard.
Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen to clash in the former’s final fight in Brazil (Source: agfight.com/pinterest.com)Their inaugural meeting at UFC 117, the 2010 classic saw Sonnen build up his repertoire as the guy who revolutionized trash-talking. ‘The American Gangster’ holds on to that foul-mouthed dogma even to his day. ‘The Spider’ was victorious in both Octagon encounters.
However, their first scrap was significantly telling as Sonnen became the only one to truly dominate Silva. He’d later succumb to a Hail Mary arm-triangle choke in the fifth round. The battle is a part of the UFC Hall of Fame’s ‘Fight Wing’ — class of 2024.
Silva would halt his poignant pace in MMA in 2020 after finishing his contract with the UFC. Since then, he boxed three times: A decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and a knockout of former UFC champ Tito Ortiz in 2021. The last was a decision loss against Jake Paul in 2022. His and Sonnen’s trilogy sure would reopen a doorway to all the nostalgia in the world.
