Chael Sonnen has a new deal and is going back to 185 pounds.
Sonnen, who has signed a five-fight contract with the UFC, announced his return to the middleweight division after his upcoming fight against Shogun Rua on Tuesday’s UFC Tonight.
“There are two guys I want to get matched up with. The first is Vitor Belfort because he’s awesome and he’s on an incredible roll. Second, is Wanderlei [Silva] who I have now found out is going back to middleweight,” Sonnen said on UFC Tonight. “The landscape has completely changed. I have a new contract, and I’m returning to the weight class.”
Sonnen will compete for the second straight time in the light heavyweight division when he squares off against Mauricio Rua in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Boston on Aug. 17.
He had won two of his past three fights in the middleweight division before making the jump up to fight Jon Jones at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012. He was knocked out in the first round.