Look out, UFC light heavyweights, the gangster from West Lin, Ore., might be coming for you next.
Just days removed from his second middleweight title loss to Anderson Silva, Chael Sonnen told FUEL TV’s UFC Tonight on Thursday that he is considering moving up to light heavyweight in the near future.
“When you get stuck in this spot that I’m in, and again, Anderson Silva could announce his retirement any day, but there’s also a major opportunity for a fresh start by simply switching weight classes,” Sonnen said. “That’s something that’s very common historically that guy’s have done, you know, my mentors Randy Couture and Dan Henderson have done that, and that’s something to look at, as well.”
Sonnen has fought at 205 pounds earlier in his career. In fact, he lost to Renato “Babalu” Sobral at light heavyweight in his UFC debut in 2005. Since then, he’s fought exclusively at 185 pounds and has gone 13-5 in the process.
The 35-year-old Sonnen lost to Silva via second-round TKO this past Saturday night at UFC 148, and while he admitted to already thinking about the move, he said he needed a little more time to digest the loss to Silva first.
“Give me a couple of weeks,” Sonnen said. “I’m not trying to make any claim or put myself in any corner. There’s some great guys at 185. and that’s not what it’s about, but traditionally and historically [changing weight classes] is a very good way to get a fresh start and kind of rejuvenate your career.”