UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Conor McBragger
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Introduction
UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen. August 7, 2010. Oracle Arena, Oakland, California. Anderson Silva retained the UFC Middleweight Championship against
Chael Sonnen won four rounds, leading the scorecards 40-34, 40-35, and 40-36 entering round five. He controlled the fight for 19 minutes and 53 seconds, landed 320 total strikes to Silva’s 64, and had a -60 significant strike differential in his favour. With 1 minute and 50 seconds remaining,
This fight was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing. Sonnen was later suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for elevated testosterone levels.
Contents
1. Introduction
2. Quick Stats
3. The Build-Up
4. Main Event
5. Co-Main Event
6. Full Results
7. Bonuses & Awards
8. Records & Milestones
9. Legacy & Impact
10. FAQ
11. References
Quick Stats
Date: August 7, 2010
Venue: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California, USA
Attendance: 12,971; Gate: $1,560,000; PPV: 600,000 buys
Main Event: Anderson Silva (c) vs. Chael Sonnen — UFC MW Championship (5 rounds)
Result: Anderson Silva def. Sonnen — Submission (Triangle Armbar) — R5, 3:10 — greatest statistical comeback in UFC title fight history
Notable: Sonnen won R1-R4; led 40-34, 40-35, 40-36; Sonnen’s tapgate quote; later suspended elevated testosterone; inducted HOF Fight Wing UFC 300
The Build-Up
Chael Sonnen had earned his title shot with the win over Nate Marquardt at UFC 109. He was a wrestler with outstanding MMA ground and pound and had been vocal about the Anderson Silva-dominated era.
Chael Sonnen was loud in the build-up, calling out Silva publicly in a way no UFC middleweight had done. His trash-talk was relatively new to the sport but the fight was taken seriously by those who understood his wrestling ability.
Main Event
Anderson Silva (c) vs. Chael Sonnen — UFC MW Championship
Round one: Chael Sonnen landed a straight left that rattled
Rounds 2-4: Chael Sonnen continued the same pattern with stifling wrestling.
Round 5: Anderson Silva needed a stoppage. Sonnen pressed him against the cage and continued to work from top position. With 1:50 remaining, Silva landed punches from his back to break Sonnen’s posture, slipped in the triangle, completed the armbar lock. Sonnen tapped once. Referee Josh Rosenthal stopped the fight. Fight time: 3:10 of round five.
Post-fight: Chael Sonnen was later suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for elevated testosterone levels — 6:1 ratio when the legal limit is 4:1. The suspension generated debate about whether the testosterone advantage contributed to his wrestling volume across 4.5 rounds.
Co-Main Event
Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves — Welterweight
Fitch returned from his UFC 111 loss to Saunders and beat Alves by unanimous decision 30-27 on all three cards, continuing his WW top-contender positioning. Alves had been off since the UFC 111 brain irregularity removal; the win continued his return.
Full Results
Preliminary Card
Tim Boetsch def. Todd Brown — TKO — R2 — MW
Charlie Brenneman def. Johny Hendricks — Decision — R3, 5:00 — WW
Phil Davis def. Rodney Wallace — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — LHW
Dustin Hazelett def. Rick Story — Decision — R3, 5:00 — WW
Main Card
Matt Hughes def. Ricardo Almeida — Submission — R3, 1:51 — WW
Junior dos Santos def. Roy Nelson — Submission (Guillotine) — R1, 3:15 — HW
Rafael dos Anjos def. Clay Guida — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 — LW
Jon Fitch def. Thiago Alves — Decision (Unanimous) — R3, 5:00 (30-27 x3) — WW; Co-Main
UFC MW Championship (5 rounds) — Main Event
Anderson Silva def.
Bonuses & Awards
Fight of the Night: Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen — $75,000 to each fighter; also awarded Fight of the Year.
Sub of the Night: Anderson Silva — $75,000 (triangle armbar from bottom guard); also awarded Submission of the Year.
Records & Milestones
Anderson Silva triangle armbar from bottom guard — only the second triangle armbar submission in UFC history; remains the greatest statistical comeback finish in UFC title fight history.
Chael Sonnen accumulated 320 total strikes; 19:53 control time; -60 significant strike differential for the winner — the largest in UFC championship history.
Inducted into UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing — announced at UFC 300 in April 2024.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 117 changed both men’s careers. Anderson Silva's survival from a position of total dominance confirmed a level of championship composure that placed him beyond explanation. The triangle armbar from the bottom — landing at the right moment, with the right control, under maximum duress — was one of the sport’s defining performances under pressure.
Chael Sonnen's near-upset launched his career as MMA’s premier villain-character and eventually the sport’s most entertaining talk-show figure. His subsequent suspension, fight, and public presence all traced directly to what happened at UFC 117. The rematch at UFC 148 in July 2012 gave Silva the TKO he couldn’t get the first time.
FAQ
How dominant was Chael Sonnen through four rounds at UFC 117?
Sonnen led on all three judges’ scorecards 40-34, 40-35, and 40-36 entering round five. He landed 320 total strikes to Silva’s 64 and accumulated 19 minutes and 53 seconds of control time. It is the most one-sided statistical performance by a losing fighter in UFC title fight history.
How did Anderson Silva win at UFC 117?
With 1:50 remaining in round five, Silva landed punches from his back to disrupt Sonnen’s posture, slipped in the triangle, completed the armbar. Sonnen tapped once at 3:10 of the fifth round.
Was Chael Sonnen punished after UFC 117?
Sonnen was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission for elevated testosterone levels (6:1 ratio vs. the legal limit of 4:1). The suspension added controversy to whether the testosterone contributed to his wrestling volume.
Has the UFC 117 main event been inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Yes. Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing, announced at UFC 300 in April 2024.
What did Chael Sonnen say about tapping at UFC 117?
Sonnen’s famous post-fight quote: ‘That was a misunderstanding of the rules. The way I thought it worked was that if you tapped, you lost that round. So I thought what they would do is they would go to a judges’ decision and we go home and I be the new champion. And if anyone had explained to me that it stopped the bout in its entirety, I wouldn’t have tapped.’
References
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