8 August 2010, 12:27pm, Manila time
As I write, there's just a few seconds left in second round of the Chael Sonnen - Anderson Silva UFC middleweight championship bout. The second round has just ended wherein Sonnen landed punishing blows to Silva's face after taking him down early in the round.
It's now the third round and early on after some shots by Silva, Chael takes him down again. On top of Anderson Silva, Sonnen rains a flurry of knees and multiple shots on the face. If this trend doesn't change, Silva with end this night with Chael Sonnen snatching his middleweight belt. In addition, on the line is Anderson Silva's unblemished record of 11 straight wins in the octagon. This is now a battle of attrition with Anderson Silva on the losing end. The round is winding up but the gradual beating he's getting from Chael Sonnen is sure to eat up his strength and perhaps even more importantly, his confidence.
Anderson Silva caught Chael Sonnen with some big shots early in the fourth round but Chael Sonnen survives the flurry and is now on top of Anderson Silva again with 3:10 remaining in the round raining shots again on the face of the champion. The crowd is chanting "USA, USA, USA ...!" expecting a win by the American Chael Sonnen. Round 4 ends with Chael Sonnen taking every opportunity -- even small ones -- to punish Anderson Silva.
The replay shows a right elbow by Anderson Silva catching Chael Sonnen on the face.
Start of Round 5. Chael Sonnen rocks Anderson Silva with a right sending him to the canvas. The pattern continues, with more than 4 minutes remaining, Anderson Silva is once again a target to Chael Sonnen's relentless ground and pound. With 2:50 remaining, Chael rains down punches on Anderson's face. With a little over 2 minutes remaining, Chael Sonnen appears ready to wear Anderson Silva's UFC middleweight belt.
But in what is easily one of the UFC's most dramatic escape finishes, with less than two minutes remaining in the bout, Anderson manages to squeeze his left leg over Chael Sonnen's head and from there, implemented a triangle choke forcing the American to tap.