The UFC 117 fight, Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen, was the main mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California on Saturday (August 7). Silva defeated Sonnen via submission (triangle choke) at 3:10 of round 5 to retain the UFC Middleweight Championship.

Silva fought once again to defend his middleweight championship for the seventh time and keep the belt he has been holding for nearly four years. Silva was behind on all three scorecards but managed to lock Sonnen’s arm into the submission hold with 1:50 remaining in the fight.

Here are the reactions from the fighters and UFC president Dana White (watch press conference video below):

“The fight that happened tonight is the stuff that makes legends,” a beaming Dana White said. “This guy got roughed up and beat up for almost five full rounds but finds a way to win.”

“I’ve been training jujitsu for a long time and out of respect to (Antonio) Nogueira I wanted to finish this fight by a submission,” Silva said through an interpreter. “I had a bad injury to my rib. The doctor told me not to fight but I believe the show must go on. It’s not an excuse. I wanted to come in and put it on the line, and that’s what I did.”

“I’m devastated,” Sonnen said. “At the end of the day you either get your hand raised or you don’t, and I didn’t. I can’t sugarcoat it. I’m heartbroken.”

UFC 117 Results + Silva vs. Sonnen Press Conference Video

Results

Preliminary card

• Welterweight bout:  Ben Saunders vs.  Dennis Hallman

Hallman defeated Saunders via unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, 29–28).

• Heavyweight bout:  Stefan Struve vs.  Christian Morecraft

Struve defeated Morecraft via TKO (punches) at 0:21 of round 2. This fight was broadcast on PPV following the Guida vs. dos Anjos fight.

• Light Heavyweight bout:  Tim Boetsch vs.  Todd Brown

Boetsch defeated Brown by unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28).

• Welterweight bout:  Johny Hendricks vs.  Charlie Brenneman

Hendricks defeated Brenneman via TKO (punches) at 0:40 of round 2.

• Light Heavyweight bout:  Phil Davis vs.  Rodney Wallace

Davis defeated Wallace via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27).

• Welterweight bout:  Dustin Hazelett vs.  Rick Story

Story defeated Hazelett via TKO (punches) at 1:15 of round 2.

Main card

• Heavyweight bout:  Roy Nelson vs.  Junior dos Santos

Dos Santos defeated Nelson via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27).

• Welterweight bout:  Matt Hughes vs.  Ricardo Almeida

Hughes defeated Almeida via technical submission (anaconda choke) at 3:15 of round 1.

• Lightweight bout:  Clay Guida vs.  Rafael dos Anjos

Guida defeated dos Anjos via submission (broken jaw) at 1:51 of round 3.

• Catchweight bout (171.5 Ibs):  Jon Fitch vs.  Thiago Alves

Fitch defeated Alves via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27).

• Middleweight Championship bout:  Anderson Silva (c) vs.  Chael Sonnen

Silva defeated Sonnen via submission (triangle choke) at 3:10 of round 5 to retain the UFC Middleweight Championship. This was only one of three fights in UFC history to end in the 5th round. The others were Randy Couture vs. Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 39, and B. J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez at UFC 107.

[image, results source: Wikipedia]