Om du tycker att Chael Sonnen inte varit lika brutal och skoningslös i sina kommentarer mot Anderson Silva på sistone så har det sin förklaring. I en intervju med Ariel Helwani förklarar Sonnen att ett samtal från Renzo Gracie fick honom att trappa ner.
”I got a call from Renzo Gracie. And when you get a call from a Gracie its kinda like getting a call from Randy Couture, you don’t share your opinion, you listen, you say ok and you hang up.”
Sonnen ville dock inte gå in på detaljer om vad Gracie hade sagt till honom. Tur för oss att Gracie själv inte hade några problem med att berätta vad han sa.
”I just told him that if he kept that trash talking he would be taking the greatness of the task that he had ahead of him,” säger Gracie. ”He is fighting one of the best fighters of our generation, and people would lose the chance to know the real Sonnen, a great athlete who I saw young fighting hard back in the Japan days, building his career as a fierce fighter, a career that ended up turning him into one of the amazing people that populate our great sport.
”I just asked him to behave with the greatness of a champion. Many fighters dream with that opportunity, to fight the best and test themselves in the toughest sport that existed. Be great, be bold, be fair, and above all, be honest. Some will love you, others will hate you, but they will know who you really are. Fight this fight in a way that will be unforgettable to those who had the privilege to watch. I won’t miss a second of this great match.”
Även om Renzo Gracie fick Sonnen att trappa ner på sitt trashtalk så är hypen redan ett faktum. Imorgon kväll kommer hela MMA-världen att hålla andan när Anderson Silva möter Chael Sonnen för andra gången.
