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Wanderlei Silva finally signs contract, hopes Sonnen doesn't back out

Pedro Vilela / REUTERS

After weeks of holding out, Wanderlei Silva finally signed the contract to fight Chael Sonnen in The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3 finale on May 31. The UFC confirmed the signed contract and the event's location — São Paulo — in the post-fight press conference at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Henderson 2.

It appears his refusal to sign was an attempt to get Sonnen to apologize for disrespectful remarks he had made in the past about Brazil, with a recent episode of TUF Brazil 3 showing Silva threatening to quit the show if Sonnen didn't apologize. Sonnen refused.

Ironically, Silva now says he hopes Sonnen doesn't back out.

"I just hope he doesn't do as Vitor [Belfort] did, because the diva broke her hand. Let's see if he doesn't do the same," said Silva, referring the first season of TUF Brazil, where Belfort pulled out after breaking his hand. "But I'm sure this guy won't chicken out. He'll be there at the fight... I see me breaking his nose at the beginning of the bout."

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