“When you’re the best fighter in the world today…they call you Chael Sonnen.”
What about the greatest professional wrestler?
The WWE-like persona surrounding “Uncle Chael” has fans pondering his potential inside a wrastlin’ ring rather than the Octagon.
Despite being one of the top middleweights in the world, Sonnen’s ability to entertain dwarfs his world-class fighting skills. People are generally more excited about what he says or does pre- and post-fight rather than what he does in the actual bout. Entertaining fans has become a sideshow for Sonnen, and he’s second to none in delivering memorable punch lines.
The WWE values entertaining athletes with charisma. It’s almost theatre-like to watch Sonnen cut a promo or do an interview.
WWE superstars are typically seen as “glorified stuntmen,” but in reality, the brunt of the workload comes from promo work and winning over fans.
In pro wrestling, good guys are generally referred to as “faces,” while bad guys are considered “heels.” But there are those special superstars who successfully walk the line between both. Currently, former WWE champion John Cena is that guy in the WWE.
In MMA, Sonnen walks an incredibly thin line between heel and face. While some fans religiously hold onto every word he says, others despise him for his utilization of a “gimmick” in an actual sport. Regardless, Sonnen has found a way to win over fans.
Historically, the WWE has jumped on every opportunity to draw real professional athletes to the world of pro wrestling. Former WWE champion Kurt Angle was an Olympic gold medalist. Monty Brown, otherwise known as “The Alpha Male,” played in Super Bowl XXVIII as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills.
The promotion has also had its share of MMA stars, including former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, Ken Shamrock, Dan Severn and Sean O’Haire.
Why not Sonnen?
He has the charisma and mic skills to be a top of the line entertainer. As far as athletics are concerned, Sonnen is a former WEC middleweight champion, an NCAA Division I All-American wrestler and a former alternate wrestler for Team USA in the Olympics.
In another lifetime, Sonnen would be walking around with the WWE title, dropping hook lines and laying the “smackdown” on opponents wearing spandex.
Uncle Chael is in a good spot right now. He is currently ranked as the No. 2 middleweight in the world, and in June, he’ll be competing against Anderson Silva for the UFC title. Even so, could the WWE be Chael Sonnen‘s next destination?
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com