Two-time UFC middleweight title challenger Chael Sonnen appeared on FUEL TV as part of the broadcast team during the UFC on FUEL TV: Munoz vs. Weidman weigh-ins.
After losing to his main Octagon adversary, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, for a second time at UFC 148, there were a lot of questions to be asked of “The American Gangster.”
To Chael’s credit, he had a lot of answers. First off, the West Linn, Ore. native discussed the spinning back fist, which was the beginning of the end for him on Saturday (transcription via MMA Mania).
You know, I really wish that I knew and I don’t know. Listen, in fairness, had that landed, we’d all be talking about what a wonderful spinning punch it was. It didn’t, I fell down like a doofus, and I gotta live with it.
Despite Sonnen’s head trainer at Team Quest, Scott McQuarry, talking about appealing the loss largely due to Silva executing a questionable knee strike when Sonnen was seated against the cage, Chael said that will not happen under his watch.
Well, listen. The knee really hurt. All those shots hurt. But here’s the reality—we don’t do instant replay in this sport, and we shouldn’t. It comes down to a judgement call, and wherever the referee says the knee landed, officially, that’s where the knee landed. That’s an excellent official, as they all are. He made his call, and that’s the way it goes, and I will never complain or look back.
Chael added that “the referee’s judgment is what stands” and “you gotta know how to lose…sometimes you gotta man up, swallow it and walk out.”
Another one of Sonnen’s coaches, Neil Melanson, recently said he wouldn’t be surprised if the two-time All-American collegiate wrestler hung up the gloves.
While Sonnen didn’t rule out retirement completely, he said it would be at least a month before he made a definitive decision.
I don’t think any athlete should begin to talk like that or think about that until you let about 30 days go by. In anything in life, you don’t wanna make a decision based on emotion. You have highs and very big lows in this sport. You don’t wanna make any drastic decisions. I think that it’s also an insult to the fans when guys like to come out and say, ‘I’m retired!’ When what they really mean is, ‘I’ll see everybody in 18 months, because I’m coming back.’ I don’t wanna do that. But when I get to that point in my career, I’ll make a statement, and I’ll never look back.
A recent example of a premature retirement is when former lightweight/welterweight champion BJ Penn announced he was done fighting after losing to Nick Diaz at UFC 137.
However, “The Prodigy” recently decided to return in September to take on 22-year-old prospect Rory MacDonald.
Despite whispers of Sonnen taking his talents to the WWE a la Brock Lesnar, Chael said his only relationship with professional wrestling will be as a fan.
“Well, listen. I tried to go to the WWE. It’s in Vegas, on the 16th of this month, but I was leaving Vegas. I’d love to go to WWE. I’d love to get my popcorn. I’d cheer on CM Punk, but I go back to my promoter, Dana White, at the end of the night.”
Does this mark the end of the notorious Chael P. Sonnen persona or will “Uncle Chael” be back to his old ways as soon as he is booked against another rival such as Wanderlei Silva or Vitor Belfort?
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