Sherdog’s Top 10: MMA Rivalries

4. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen

Silva in his prime ran roughshod over the rest of the UFC middleweight division, ruling the 185-pound weight class for the better part of a decade. Enter Sonnen, the tough-as-nails wrestler who took aim at the Brazilian and unleashed a hellish flurry of verbal insults before they finally collided at UFC 117. Sonnen beat up Silva for four-plus rounds and seemed to be well on his way to a shocking upset at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. However, “The Spider” latched a triangle armbar in the fifth round, forced the tapout and retained his title.

Sonnen was devastated by the near-miss, but stepped up his war of words until he received his rematch two years later. The outcome was much different at UFC 148, where Silva delivered a second-round technical knockout. Despite the fact that nothing seemed to be off limits when it came to Sonnen’s insults, Silva looked to bury the hatchet afterward. Sonnen has not said much about Silva since, but their rivalry ranks among MMA’s best.

Continue Reading » Number 3