Chael Sonnen‘s title shot against UFC champion Jon Jones is about a month away, but the outspoken fighter already has his eyes set on a new target, 67-year-old WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
News recently broke (via RDS.ca) that McMahon had once asked to fight UFC president Dana White inside the Octagon or wrestle him in the ring.
“I’ve never said this before ever in an interview,” White said. “If Vince hears this, he’s going to go nuts. Vince is too old, which he won’t think he is and he’ll go crazy. Vince wanted to fight me. He called me up and said, “Let’s do it. We can either do it in the UFC or let’s do it at WrestleMania.”
Now, Sonnen has come to the defense of his boss, berating McMahon on Twitter and taking a jab at WWE superstar CM Punk.
Once rumored to be a cornerman for Sonnen, CM Punk and the UFC light heavyweight are known to have a good relationship. CM Punk even mocked Sonnen‘s missed spinning backfist from a UFC 148 bout with Anderson Silva during one of his WWE matches, so it’s possible this is all in good fun.
However, Sonnen is a marketing mastermind and may be setting the stage for some big money-making appearances once his MMA career comes to an end. Though he previously stated he has no interest in pro wrestling unless Steve Austin or CM Punk are wrestling, Sonnen finished his rant toward McMahon with an intriguing proposition.
Recovering from surgery for Meneire’s disease, White showed no attraction to the idea of competing in a wrestling match or fight with McMahon during his previously-mentioned interview. It’s also unlikely that the UFC president would benefit much from any type of crossover promotion with the WWE, so it’s unlikely White will be participating in any tag-team bouts.
It would also be difficult for Sonnen to convince the UFC brass to allow him to wrestle while still signed to a fighting contract with them. Brock Lesnar had been shut down from that type of deal in the past, and it’d be surprising to see the UFC take any different position with Sonnen.
All that being said, Sonnen‘s career could begin to wind down should he lose to Jones at UFC 159, and he’ll then have to begin thinking about employment after fighting. While he’s probably got a permanent job as an MMA analyst lined up, following in the footsteps of Lesnar (now casually appearing on WWE shows) may not be the worst idea for a side job.
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