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[Cat--Smasher]

Vinny Magalhães says Sonnen “can submit Anderson this time”

There are few days before the rematch Silva vs. Sonnen. There was a lot of talking about you training Sonnen and many Brazilians criticized your. How was it for you?

Man, I saw that coming but not because I’m training an American guy, even because I live here so most of people I train and people I train with are Americans or come from other places other than Brazil. Things got ugly because I’m training Chael and he says many things about Brazil, much bullshit, but it’s my profession. I can’t deny things just because people will get bothered by it. I listed a bunch of reasons, financial reasons and the biggest one is about my family and the fact I’m won’t fight for a year. I last fought in October and I don’t believe I’ll fight any time sooner than September, so it’s a year I don’t fight. Since part of my financial support comes from fighting, I had to make money one way or another: minister seminars, teach classes more than I should and don’t train. So, when an opportunity like training Chael presents itself I can’t decline it and I’ve told him “if you need someone to train with, just give me a call”. It was way before he fought Anderson, so there’s nothing personal with Brazil, of course not. I’m a Brazilian but the opportunity presented itself and I wouldn’t say no to it just because people might not approve it.

And all these things Sonnen says, is it just to sell the fight? How is he when you get close to him? Is he bipolar or something?

Man, he might be bipolar but I’ve only met nice Chael. It’s quite the opposite. When I talk to him and all, and he probably doesn’t like people saying these things, he told me it’s all about advertizing, to sell the fight and he does something nobody in the sport does. The only other guy who came with the culture of selling the fight this way, and saying bad things about people was Brock Lesnar and he was not that successful, I mean, he was, but not completely. But not Chael. Actually he’s not a successful guy like Anderson in terms of technical abilities, but he sells the fight like nobody else does. On the first time I talked to him about this fight he apologized and said: “sorry, but I have to sell 800 thousand”, so it’s nothing personal. So you can understand he’s only trying to sell the fight. Sometimes he goes one too far, but it’s the way he found of selling the fight. I guarantee you all this trashtalk will be reverted to PPV sells. Lately UFC sells about 300, 400 thousand. At Jon Jones’s fight, they sold 700 thousand but I’m betting for this Chael-Anderson fight it goes beyond a million, like a million and so. Everybody says there’s a personal side attached to it, so it’s a very busy fight they will put on.

Will you be at Sonnen’s corner?

No. I don’t think so. Chael’s like me in terms of coaches, who’s going with him for the fight. Usually he only brings a couple of guys: his Boxing coach and his MMA coach, Scott McCoy. No one said I would go and I’d rather not be on his corner so I wouldn’t get involved in all this Anderson thing. I rather not get involved.

How is he doing on the ground? Is he better? Did you teach him how to defend that triangle choke?

Everybody asks me “is he better than the first time?”. Well, he dominated Anderson on the floor. Did he make a mistake? Yes, he did. But Anderson was trying to fit this position the entire time and the guy got caught. On the last moments he end up being caught. Obviously he needed to work some more and correct some flaws here and there, but in the big picture Chael is a good fighter on the floor, he’s just not excellent, not prepared in terms of details like Anderson and other Brazilians. We’ve worked on many things, we worked the defense of the triangle, arm-bars, but my focus is on him controlling the fight like he did last time, but in positions that are comfortable for him. One thing I told him I didn’t like was that he kept the tight guard and on a very low posture. We tried to change that. if he has the chance to break into Andersons guard, submit him in some positions I believe he will because he has great control when on the top. But we trained everything and I didn’t only train defense because, from where I’m standing, I guess for you to defend yourself from something you first have to be put on a bad situation and my idea is not letting Anderson get anywhere near that. We trained attacks and obviously the defense of coups he had been mistaken about before, like the triangle choke.

What are your predictions for this fight? Does Sonnen have chances to win?

Man, it’s not only because I trained with him, but I believe he has a hard style for Anderson to defeat. I’m a fan of Anderson as a fighter and I guess he has proven to be the best fighter in the world in terms of results, but sometimes you’re much better than a guy here and there but the guy has one weapon which is so strong you can’t have it with him and I guess that’s the problem on this Chael-Anderson fight. Anderson might be much better then Chael on the floor, much better on the stand-up, but Chael’s style is hard on Anderson and I believe it will go the same way as the first one did: Chael taking him down and controlling him from the top. If he believes in his game, I believe he can submit Anderson this time. Now, if he doesn’t submit him, he’s gonna win via points.

What do you think about Anderson’s change of posture and responding to Chael?

As a fan, I thought it was interesting because now Anderson got into Chael’s game which was Chael’s initial idea for the both of them to promote the fight, and not just him. Anderson naturally sells fights because he’s the best fighter but he’s not a big entertainer, a character. Chael sells a lot because he’s a character and now Anderson has also put on the mask and is a character and unfortunately that’s what sells on the United States. That’s why maybe people in Brazil don’t get what I’m saying but it’s a way to promote the fight. Now that Anderson said those things, it’ll promote even more and it’ll sell more than it was going to sell anyway. When I talked to him, he said “I’m only doing it to sell the fight but also to get into his mind”. I guess he got what he wished for.

Vinny Magalhães says Sonnen “can submit Anderson this time” :: TATAME

[kingrobert]

Im sure Chael has trained Bjj before. Then again most every fight he has lost has been to submission of some sort. Maybe since he is crazy thats why he breaks down mentally

[FE_EatsChildren]

damn... i really want chael to win, but i can't see him dodging subs the whole time. i'm sure if the fight goes just like the first, with silva on his back most of the time, it'll end with another sub by silva. anyways... here's to hoping that chael wins.

[subman]

Going to be hard for Sonnen to submit Silva when Sonnen is lying face down from a KO...

[CapCee]

Originally Posted by subman

Going to be hard for Sonnen to submit Silva when Sonnen is lying face down from a KO...

Yup. All I've got to say.

[The Donosaur]

Its not that crazy to believe. I could see sonnen hitting a takedown, roughing him up a bit, & hitting a rnc. Its not likely, but its possible. If it did happen it would be more of a final blow than a slick imo.

[RonPaulForPeace]

Sonnen wont get subd again def in the 5th he will play it smart and ride the dec out

[Sakara=Excitement]

Hell Anderson is the GOAT! Always been a fan! He always wins! He's gonna KO Chael just like the last fight! Man human highlight reel! Best ever! P4P greatest. I love how he always wins!

GO ANDERSON!!! #1 FAN RIGHT HERE

[Sniggles]

^lol

[disposableassassin]

Originally Posted by Sakara=Excitement

Hell Anderson is the GOAT! Always been a fan! He always wins! He's gonna KO Chael just like the last fight! Man human highlight reel! Best ever! P4P greatest. I love how he always wins!

GO ANDERSON!!! #1 FAN RIGHT HERE

I'll have what he's having