UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen didn’t hold back on the man who brutally assaulted Wanderlei Silva during a chaotic post-fight brawl.
MMA legend Wanderlei Silva’s exhibition boxing debut didn’t go according to plan against Acelino Freitas, during and after the fight itself.
Silva lost to Freitas by disqualification last weekend as the 49-year-old returned to combat sports in Brazil. Just seconds after the fight was waved off, Silva, Freitas, and their teams engaged in a wild post-fight brawl that left several people injured, including Silva.
Silva was brutally knocked out by a punch from Freitas’s son, Rafael, during the chaotic incident. Rafael has since claimed ‘self-defense’ after the clip went viral on social media.
The incident prompted strong reactions from many of Silva’s former rivals, including Chael Sonnen. But Sonnen, who shared a hostile rivalry with Silva during their MMA careers, took things a step further in his latest remarks.
Chael Sonnen comes to heated rival Wanderlei Silva’s defense after brutal incident
In a recent post to X, Sonnen appeared to send a cryptic message to Acelino Freitas’ son.
“To the coward that did THIS to Vanderlei, you f—– up,” Sonnen posted.
“Only I am allowed to make him look a’fool.
“Have a Care, dummy. I’ll see you soon.”
As of this writing, neither Acelino nor Rafael have publicly responded to Sonnen’s fiery rhetoric.
Silva and Sonnen fought once during their careers at Bellator NYC in 2017 with Sonnen earning a unanimous decision victory. They coached a season of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil opposite each other, a season that included an infamous brawl on set between the two middleweights.
Fast forward to 2025, Silva and Sonnen entered the UFC Hall of Fame separately during the latest induction. Sonnen retired from MMA following a loss to Lyoto Machida in June 2019.
It’s uncertain if Silva will take legal action against Rafael Freitas after the brutal assault.