Wanderlei Silva/Chael Sonnen Being Targeted For Summer 2017

The highly anticipated fight between Wanderlei Silva and Chael Sonnen could finally be happening in Bellator MMA, but not until the summer of 2017.

The long delay is caused by the fact that Silva is still serving a suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) for running from a drug test in 2014.

"We had a contract with Wanderlei Silva even before Rizin ever got him on board," Coker explained. "With the contract we have with him, he won't be able to fight for us until he is cleared with NSAC. I think in May he will be cleared to compete for Bellator. Since Bellator contracted Chael Sonnen, believe me, we've been getting texts and calls from Wanderlei saying that he wants that fight. So, I think you'll see that fight some time in 2017 for Bellator." 

Bellator MMA President Scott Coker believes that when the fight finally does come together, it'll capture the interests of fans.

"That's going to be a fight where everybody stops whatever they're doing to turn on the TV to see the fight," Coker said. "As we all know, that fight has been building for a number of years and they couldn't work it out, but now I feel the timing is perfect."

Silva isn't the only fighter that Sonnen wants to fight inside of the Bellator cage, there is a long list of fighters according to Coker.

"(Chael) is definitely the fighter that will make the biggest impact on this company," Coker said. "When he signed he told me that he would fight Wanderlei, 'Rampage,' Fedor if we sign him and Tito Ortiz — he will fight whoever we want him to fight. Those are some of the fights that we want to make happen." 

Sonnen has yet to officially step inside the cage and compete for Bellator MMA.