• UFC 117

Silva's gonna hurt me really bad - Sonnen

To guarantee your front-row seat for UFC 117 on August 7, subscription details can be found here.

Chael Sonnen has confessed 'Anderson Silva will hurt me really bad' when the pair meet at UFC 117.

Silva is arguably the most lethal practitioner of MMA in the UFC when his mind is on the job, proven by devastating wins over Chris Leben - against whom he landed 100 percent of his strikes, Rich Franklin - who ended up with a broken nose, and Forrest Griffin - floored three times in one round.

UFC co-commentator Joe Rogan once described the middleweight champion's work as a 'ballet of violence', with his knees razor-sharp, his kicks deadly, and his punches pin-point. Sonnen does not deny any of the above threats, but he plans to walk through it all to come out the other side with the most painful, yet satisfying, victory of his career.

"He's a scary fighter," admitted the No. 1 contender. "There's not a lot of guys you can say that about that are just flat out scary. He's vicious.

"He's very sharp in that, you know, he's so skinny and long. His elbows are sharp. His knees are sharp. His fists are sharp. And he's going to hurt - he's going to hurt me really bad on August 7th. "But I'm confident that I can deal with the pain, walk through it, go to the hospital that night and leave with the championship belt anyway."

Sonnen's comments are probably the most respectful that he has spoken of the undefeated Brazilian, who he openly dislikes. Asked to explain his hatred of Silva, Sonnen declared he is not alone.

"I just don't like him. That's it. I don't offer an apology and I don't need to give an explanation. We can't all get along. He and I aren't going to be friends and we're going to go out and fight. And that's it.

"Anderson I don't think has any fans. He's the only guy in the world that's been a champion four years, never beaten in four years, that's sponsored by one company. Nobody sponsors him. Nobody puts their name on the guy. And nobody wants to dress like him, act like him, or be like him."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.