From enemies to friends? Chael Sonnen gets emotional watching Anderson Silva's series

Chael Sonnen gets emotional when watching series alongside Anderson Silva. Photo: Reproduction/Twitter/@paramountplusbr

Responsible for one of the largest rivalries in history from MMA, Chael Sonnen was moved when watching the series about the life and career of Anderson Silva, his former adversary. The North American, who lost twice to the Brazilian in the UFC, was invited by Paramount+ to see the film alongside Spider himself, in a promotional action by the streaming platform. What could have been a tense encounter became a demonstration of respect and admiration between the two fighters.

The series, which tells the story of Anderson Silva from his childhood to his last fight in the UFC, shows the former middleweight champion's moments of glory and difficulty. Sonnen, who has always been known for his provocations and controversies, was touched by his rival's story, especially his relationship with his aunt, who raised him after his mother's death.

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The American even cried during Anderson's conversation with his aunt, who advised him to follow his dream of being a fighter.

Before watching the film, Sonnen and Anderson made a bet: if the American cried, he would have to tattoo the Brazilian's face on his body. The former UFC title challenger accepted the challenge and, after getting emotional, kept his word and went to a tattoo studio. The tattoo scene went viral on social media and surprised MMA fans, who did not expect to see such deference from the current commentator to his former enemy.

However, it was all just a prank. The tattoo, in fact, was a phrase that Sonnen had said during his UFC days, before facing Anderson for the first time, in 2010: “You absolutely suck”. The phrase, made famous by the American's poor grammar, was written on his arm with a pen, not a needle.

The prank was revealed by Paramount+, which released the full video of the action on its official website. The series about Anderson Silva has been available on the platform since November 16th.

Rivalry overcome! Chael Sonnen is moved by Anderson Silva's film and fulfills an unusual bet

IT'S TIME…. …to cry? Me and the @SpiderAnderson we challenge the @chaelsonnen to watch #AndersonSpiderSilva, my new series, without shedding a tear. And as you can see…he lost badly. 🤷‍♂️

I walked @SpiderAnderson challenged @chaelsonnen to watch… pic.twitter.com/wkdBheiKq9

— Paramount+ Brasil (@paramountplusbr) November 16, 2023

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