Anderson Silva's 2010 Comeback Victory Over Chael Sonnen Earns Hall of Fame Spot
In August 2010, Anderson Silva reversed a near-defeat by Chael Sonnen at UFC 117, winning by submission and later securing a Hall of Fame induction.
At UFC 117 in Oakland, California, Chael Sonnen appeared poised to upset middleweight champion Anderson Silva, dominating the first four rounds with wrestling. In the fifth round, Silva executed a rare arm-bar-triangle maneuver, compelling Sonnen to submit with less than two minutes remaining. The victory extended Silva's middleweight title defenses to seven and garnered Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night awards, later being named Submission and Fight of the Year by several outlets.
The fight was commemorated in 2024 with induction into the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing. Sonnen eventually earned a rematch at UFC 148, where Silva again capitalized on a sloppy spinning attack to secure a second stoppage. The original encounter took place on August 7, 2010, at Oracle Arena.
Why it matters
The fight is remembered as a classic comeback that shaped MMA history and earned Hall of Fame recognition.
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