Chael Sonnen gives immediate reaction after draw with longtime foe Anderson Silva: "Big deal for me"

Chael Sonnen gave his first reaction after fighting Anderson Silva in a boxing exhibition on June 15. The pair were engaged in a bitter rivalry at the peak of their MMA careers and Sonnen feels that the outcome of their recent boxing match was a victory for both of them.

Sonnen challenged Silva for the UFC middleweight title twice in MMA. While he controlled Silva with superior wrestling for the majority of those two fights, 'The Spider' secured victories by finishes on both occasions.

One of the most creative strikers in MMA history, Silva had a significant edge in striking. How the lack of wrestling would affect Sonnen's performance was a big question heading into the boxing match.

Sonnen held his own against Silva in the ring but it appeared that the Brazilian had better technique and landed cleaner shots in the five-round exhibition. The fight did not have a winner due to exhibition boxing rules.

While speaking to the members of MMA media after the event, Sonnen shared his thoughts on the fight:

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"I thought I won the first three rounds. I mean, you have to understand that he let me win the first round. He always lets me win the first round. That's like, one of his strategies. He feels you out. He lets everybody win the first round. I did the same things in Rounds 2 and 3 that I did in the first round. But I slipped somewhere in the fourth round and then they brought the doctor in at some point because I had a bloody nose or something. I was like, 'Come on, you're making this seem way worse than it is.' It was three rounds to two. I thought I won that fight."

Sonnen went on to present an argument about why the outcome of their boxing match was a win-win situation for both of them:

"You have to understand. The last two fights, whether I like it or not, were stoppage losses. So, a draw is a big step in the right direction. On the other hand, of the six completed rounds I have had with Anderson Silva, I won all six. He has never won a round against me. That's a reality. Tonight, he won rounds. So, big deal for me to get a draw, big deal for him to win a round!"

Catch Chael Sonnen's comments below:

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