Renzo Gracie believes Chael Sonnen has lost all respect with his comments about Anderson Silva
Posted on July 2, 2012, 03:47 PM by Mike DrahotaFormer UFC fighter and BJJ trainer Renzo Gracie spoke out recently against the words of one Chael P. Sonnen, becoming the latest in a long line of Brazilians to lambaste the outspoken number one contender. Gracie's words stem from Sonnen's statements that centered around slapping champion Anderson Silva's wife “on the ass.” Gracie spoke the following, via Sherdog.com:
"If someone say this from my wife, where we meet in this life, I'll bite the unfortunate who spoke this.
So I am against this kind of provocation. I hope no one ever do this to me, because the thing will go in a completely wrong direction".
Obviously Gracie see's Sonnen brand of fight promotion as offensive to Silva and Brazilians everywhere. Regardless if Sonnen's words are jokes meant to hype up the fight for promotional purposes, Gracie views them as cause for a street fight. He continued on:
"I don't like this kind of provocation because you end up losing respect. Where I come from, it smells blood. If a person offends you, so he must raise his fists whenever he see you. Because a fight will start wherever we are. So I think we have to treat opponents with respect."
Renzo Gracie believes that the direction Sonnen has taken in trying to get into Silva's head prior to their historic clash at UFC 148 this July 7th has ultimately cost him much respect. That is, what little he had amongst Brazilians before he made his statements, if any. Sonnen's many statements about the Brazilian people, more specifically Silva, his family, Wanderlei Silva, and also the Nogueira brothers, could be viewed as disrespectful. They could also be viewed as a strong attempt at off-color humor, something Sonnen is no stranger to. Gracie acknowledged this with these words:
"Humor is a higher form of intelligence. Unfortunately not everyone can do it. You may want to be Ali, but there was only one Ali. Chael lost the class when he said he will slap on the ass of Anderson's wife."
The highly skilled BJJ master may have a point here, or he may be taking Sonnen's words too seriously. As this historic rematch draws near, are Sonnen's words an all-out attack on the culture of Brazil, or are they just another publicity stunt to get inside Brazilian fighters' heads? If they are the latter, it would appear that Sonnen has accomplished his goal. We will see if Sonnen's mouth will be shut in the Octagon on Saturday night.
Further Reading: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on UFC 148: I want to grab one of Sonnen's teeth
Comments
You know what dosnt pay the bills, and puts your kids through college, someone elses respect, but an extra mil for hyping the fight does.
He's not doing it for Hype David.
Selling a lemon of a car pays bills, defrauding people as a mortgage broker pays bills, drug dealing pays bills etc.
Chael is acting like a WWE wannabe reading a script. Problem is no one else is "pretending" and he's likely to get a violent reaction that could end his career. Very stupid move and looks bad for MMA. I'm sure that's lost on most who think it's "kewl" and hide behind a computer.
He's not doing it for humor Renzo.
So Renzo, what you're saying is that Chael is not respectful? Hang on, let me get a pen. I want to write this down.
Its weird because Renzo spit on a fighter in the middle of a Pride fight...I dont recall who it was but he was Japanese lol.
But idk which is worse? Spitting on someone during a fight or making jokes about a country being poor/say you will slap your opponent's wife's ass to make you a medium rare steak.
Reply to this with your answer so we can find out which is worse lol
I would say spitting, since a form of assualt, and can transmit diseases.
Renzo needs to stfu....just like everyone else in the fight game. If you dont like it, dont root for the guy. If what Daddylongstrokes said was true, and Renzo did spit on a guy in the middle of a fight...Then he is the one who has no respect...Not even animals spit at eachother before or during a fight. Ediquete he is trying to suggest, he himself cant live up to.
Also, Renzos stupid remarks are the things instigating this blood he is taking about. Considering the place in Renzos career right now, he couldnt do anything to Chael anyway if he talked about his wife.
DLS
I think Chael getting Andersons wife pregnant may also rank pretty high !
But when it comes to spitting, what a dog act ! thats reprehensible
I lost all respect for you Renzo when you faked being hurt after Frank Shamrock kneed you in the head, from his back against the fence. That really is going to put you out of the fight?!?!? No you faked it. Carry on now....
I lost all respect fo Renzo when he kneed Marquardt in the head in the scuffle after Nate fought Almeida. I lost respect for Renzo when he would talk about how great looking he is, when he actually looks like a Brazillian cross between Bert and Ernie. I lost respect for Renzo when got destroyed in striking by Matt Hughes. Never really respected the guy anyway.
WOW chael made a lowkick profile!!! cant wait to see you get your a$$ kicked in person!! lol
@Silvaisking- There was already a guy on here claiming to be Chael Sonnen. You missed him by a few months I suppose. I used to go by the name Hit2Hurt but I got hacked or something cuz one day my profile didn't work. I'm glad you'll be at the fight in person though. I love knowing you spent all that money to be in the 10th row, so you can actually hear Silva's face getting beaten in. :) I was in the farthest back row at UFC 79. And could still hear Wandy and Chuck slugging it out. Maybe you'll even hear Silva's ribs breaking again. Cuz if anything it was during the fight. If they were a little sore before that then he's just being a baby.
Chael believes in big foot
Chael gonna have a bigfoot...up his arse
He trains with him in the mountains. So what?
I never respected Chael in the first place so I guess Renzo is wrong...
What we have here gentlemen (loosely used :) is a classic cross-cultural misunderstanding. Some Americans want a WWF style hype with all the over the top blowhardiness etc ( yes i made that word up) Brazilians are macho but also kinda complainers bc they want everything their way and don't want to have to 'do' american style hyping. Now every cultural group has its contradictions its own internal layers if you like, in this case the american layers and the Brazilian layers do not a pretty cake make, they just really have a different way of 'processing' this kind of communication. Personally as a Canadian i find the America 'over the top nothing sacred' style and the Brazilian ' macho school yard fake respect style' both annoying they should try to be more like GSP a god damn Smiling Cyborg killer. On a separate note did i mention that we are cloning a army of GSP's and will be invading north and south america shortly let me apologize as a good Canadian in advance sorry. lol
"we have to treat opponents with respect" - here are some wise words for Mr. Anderson Silva. Outside the cage Chael may be a ****talker and Anderson tries to be a humble fighter but inside the cage it's totally reversed. Chael has nothing but focus while Anderson is a clown.
the funniest thing about all this is Chael talks all this trash and offends all these Brazilians...............but none of them can kick his ass. Especially Renzo......has to be frustrating right?
Who cares Renzo? Nobody gives a damn about your opinion, especially chael.
If you dont like it, then do something about it. Otherwise shut the heck up.
@matt1926 - have you ever been inside a triangle? Chael has...many may times.
What brazilian doesn't feel this way??
@brasil- you're taking it personal just like all the other dimwits.
Sonnen crossed the line when he brought Silva's wife into his trash talk.
I had no respect in the first place for Sonnen as a man--only some grudging respect for him has a fighter..
I am not a fan of either fighter's personal qualities, but UFC fights garner more PPV's when there is 'bad blood' between the contestants--whether real or simulated, it does not seem to matter.
Sonnen's attacking Silva with trash talk is fair game--just keep family members out of the trash talk.