WEC 36 Breakdown

Paulo Filho vs. Chael Sonnen

Filho Scouting Report
Ht./Wt.: 5’8”/185 lbs.
Age: 30
Hometown: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Fighting out of: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Record: 16-0

The stakes: Not to be dramatic or anything, but Filho can not afford to lose this fight. Not after the UFC announced plans to annex the WEC middleweight division. Not after a stint in rehab that has many wondering if Filho can handle the pressure cooker that is MMA. And especially not after a substandard showing in his first bout against Sonnen that saw Filho pull out a controversial submission win to hold onto the WEC middleweight crown.

The breakdown: There was a time when Filho was a terror in the middleweight division. A world class jiu-jitsu player with an arsenal of judo throws and the stout, powerful build of a pit bull, Filho was nothing short of suffocating during his days in Japan. His time in the WEC has been radically different, as he’s appeared lethargic and uncoordinated. If the Filho of old can be bothered to make an appearance, this bout takes on a completely different dynamic.

Sonnen Scouting Report
Ht./Wt.: 6’1”/185 lbs.
Age: 31
Hometown: West Linn, Ore.
Fighting out of: Portland, Ore.
Record: 20-9-1

The stakes: Still stinging from his prior bout with Filho, Sonnen saw nearly 10 minutes worth of dominance go to waste as repeated ventures into Filho’s guard ended with an everyone-saw-it-coming submission loss. Controversy aside, Sonnen can erase the past and join the UFC with the cache of an incoming champion while a loss will likely have him toiling on Fight Night undercards for the foreseeable future.

The breakdown: Your classic Team Quest top-control artist, Sonnen thrives on putting his opponents through the meat grinder -- an approach that initially paid dividends against Filho but eventually turned against him. With a painful lesson already learned, Sonnen must stick to his guns but remain wary of Filho’s submissions by mixing in enough striking to wear Filho down on the feet before wrangling with him on the mat.


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The bottom line: If Sonnen couldn’t get the job done against a version of Filho that was barely fit to be in the cage, it’s hard to imagine him faring any better against a revitalized incarnation of the Brazilian grappling prodigy. Expect to see Filho put on a show for the UFC matchmakers by tying Sonnen into knots on the mat.