"He's doing an interview over here... He never missed a beat" - Chael Sonnen explains why Anderson Silva is a challenging matchup for Jake Paul
Chael Sonnen is impressed with how coherent Anderson Silva is despite being at such an advanced stage of his fighting career.
Unfortunately, combat athletes who stick around for too long start exhibiting symptoms of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). However, Sonnen assured the fans that this wasn't the case with Silva–a veteran of the fight game for 25 years.
Previewing 'The Spider's' upcoming bout with Jake Paul, Sonnen told MMA Fighting:
"[Anderson Silva] is not like the other stories. This is not somebody that walked away and is coming back. This is not a return, this is not a comeback. This is the same career. This is a guy who never got out of shape."
What Sonnen is impressed by the most is that Silva is as articulate as ever during his interviews. The three-time UFC title challenger added:
"I was just doing an interview with Anderson. He used to not like to do them and pretend he doesn't speak English. It used to drive me crazy. But he's doing an interview over here, he's quite articulate. He never missed a beat. And I'll just share with you, some of these older fighters that we have that come back, they can't go cut interviews because you can't understand what they're saying."
Check out Chael Sonnen's comments starting from the 7:22 mark below:
For context, contact sports such as boxing, MMA, and American football have been linked to brain conditions such as CTE due to the repeated blows athletes take to the head. Some symptoms of CTE include memory loss, forgetfulness, and slurred speech.
Taking everything into consideration, Sonnen believes that 47-year-old Silva will be Paul's toughest matchup yet. The MMA legend and YouTuber-turned professional boxer will meet in the ring on October 29 in the Gila River Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.
Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen share heartwarming moment
It's safe to assume that Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen have buried the hatchet.
Once bitter enemies, the pair of UFC legends shared a heartwarming moment during Monday's Paul vs. Silva press event. Sharing the stage for the first time in a decade, Silva and Sonnen had a hilarious exchange.
Sonnen joked that he would back up the Brazilian against the Paul brothers to make the numbers even. Silva retorted by saying Sonnen never accepted his invitation for a barbeque.
That, of course, was a reference to Silva's post-fight interview at UFC 148. After beating Sonnen in their championship rematch, 'The Spider' said his rival is welcome to come to one of his barbecues.
Watch the exchange between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen below:
Anderson: You never come to my house, to the BBQ
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