UFC President Dana White did his best Nick Diaz impression on July 3, as he mean-mugged Anderson Silva when the legendary Brazilian champion got a little too close to Chael Sonnen at the UFC 148 press conference faceoff.
The way I saw it, Silva looked cool, calm and collected during the confrontation, while Sonnen wouldn't look the champ in the eye.
"You're Gonna Die"
Only Silva, Sonnen and Dana White know what was actually said when the Brazilian whispered in the challenger's ear during the staredown, but bjpenn.com reports that he said "You're gonna die."
The way Dana White looked at Silva immediately after the whisper, you'd have to guess the comment was something intense like that.
When UFC 148 was announced with Sonnen versus Silva as the headliner, it was expected that the challenger would be doing much of the heavy-lifting when it came to fueling the hype machine.
Sonnen's mic skills are the best in the sport, and his verbal jabs are legendary. The Oregonian has done his part to build up the fight, but it's been Silva who stole the limelight of late with epic trash-talking of his own.
Silva Fuels The Hype
"What I'm going to do inside the Octagon is something that's going to change the image of the sport, I'm sorry. I'm going to beat his a** like he's never been beaten before," Silva said in a conference call last week. "This is going to be violent and I am sorry. I'm going to make sure that every one of his teeth are broken, that his arms are broken and his legs are broken. He's not going to be able to walk out of the Octagon by himself. I can guarantee that. He will need a plastic surgeon afterward."
Is Sonnen Shaken?
Silva's threats didn't seem to get under Sonnen's skin, but the chilling whisper into his ear seemed to rattle him.
Sonnen seemed to freeze up and a glassy stare came across his face, while Silva looked loose and confident.
Some media outlets tried to stir the pot by claiming that the fireworks came a day early, since the presser was one day before July 4, but the truth is that Silva and Sonnen weren't close to coming to blows.
These are two business-savvy professionals who know how to sell a fight. Their "beef" may not even be real, as I fully expect them to shake hands at the end of their fight on July 7.
What did Anderson Silva whisper in Chael Sonnen's ear at the UFC 148 presser? Let me know in the comments.
Eric Holden is a lifelong UFC fan and supporter of the sport of MMA. Follow him on Twitter @ericholden.
