UFC 136 Results: Chael Sonnen Will Wish He Hadn't Challenged Anderson Silva

Chael Sonnen is as big a trash-talker as you'll find in the UFC today, and, as expected, the outlandish Oregonian was back at it on Saturday night, though this time, he'll be hard-pressed to put his money where his mouth is.

Sonnen had barely released Brian Stann from an arm triangle submission in the second round of their fight at UFC 136 before he was off running his mouth again, this time at Anderson Silva, who just so happened to be seated cageside.

Complete coincidence, right, Dana White?

Sonnen issued a simple but bold scenario to "The Spider"—a fight for the Middleweight Championship in Las Vegas on Super Bowl weekend.

The consequences? As Sonnen said, "I beat you, you leave division. You beat me, I leave the UFC forever."

Funny that Sonnen should put it that way, since he'd practically disappeared from the world of mixed martial arts before showing up at the Toyota Center in Houston. Sonnen's stunningly easy victory over Stann marked his triumphant return to the Octagon following a 14-month hiatus, during which he was suspended for failing a drug screening and involved in a money laundering scandal.

All of which came on the heels of a loss to (you guessed it!) Anderson Silva at UFC 117. Sonnen dominated Silva in that match with his superb wrestling skills before Silva slithered his way out of danger and into position to submit Sonnen to a triangle choke.

Sonnen would have had his rematch with Silva months ago had it not been for the failed drug test.

Whether Sonnen is done doping, or whether a presumably cleaner lifestyle has changed his acumen in the Octagon at all, remains to be seen, though he didn't seem in the least bit affected by any of it against Stann.

The only thing anyone can expect, other than that Sonnen will finally have his wish for a shot at Silva's title granted, is that Silva won't so readily allow Sonnen to simply outmuscle him on the mat this time around. Then again, Silva has only improved since that fateful evening, earning knockouts against Vitor Belfort and Yushin Okami to remain unbeaten in the UFC and stake his claim to that of the best pound-for-pound fighter in the history of mixed martial arts.

Yes, Chael Sonnen, be careful what you wish for because Anderson Silva, with that smile of his that he flashed by the Octagon tonight, appeared just a little too happy to make it happen.