Chael Sonnen will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon when he faces Brian Stann this weekend at UFC 136. It will be Sonnen’s first fight back since his loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 119 one year ago.
While usually known for belittling his opponents, Sonnen doesn’t have any reason to feel the need to do it to Stann, a US Marine veteran who now trains under renowned trainer Greg Jackson, at Greg Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts.
“The Shoot” filmed Sonnen as he prepared for his upcoming bout and he praised his opponent’s skills. While the fight most fans are hoping to see is a rematch between him and Silva, Sonnen said he isn’t looking past Stann.
“He’s well-rounded, he’s got the right team around him,” Sonnen said. “He’s done awesome his last few fights.”
However, Sonnen said he only worries about himself as he prepares for a bout, especially returning from a long layoff. He expects his opponent to show up and compete on Saturday night but Sonnen won’t underestimate Stann, nor any opponent for that matter.
“I’ve never had an easy fight and I’ve never had a harder fight. They’re all hard, they’re so hard,” he said. “The separation is so small,” he added.
And come Saturday night, Sonnen will look to separate himself from the competition and stand alone as the No. 1 contender.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com