During a segment on Wednesday night’s FOX Sports Live, UFC Tonight hosts Kenny Florian and Chael Sonnen were asked to weigh-in on the recent controversy surrounding Uruguayan soccer star Luis Suarez. The Barclay’s Premier League’s top scorer has been banned for nine games and four months by FIFA for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay’s World Cup match with Italy on Jun. 24, his third such offense.
“Lets start with what happened on the soccer field,” said Sonnen. “To bite someone in the course of battle at least somehow makes some kind of sense. To walk up behind a guy and just bite into his shoulder is just a very weird thing to do.”
To make any sort of justification for biting an opponent, Sonnen would assumably have some prior experience.
“I’ve never experienced it in the Octagon, but I have experienced it in wrestling matches,” Sonnen revealed. “I’ll be quite honest, I’ve been on both sides of it. That’s right. I’m very shady.”
Sonnen was quick to clarify the situation, claiming the bite was in self defense.
“Now, they stuck their finger in my mouth,” said Sonnen. “He put his finger in my mouth and was trying to give me the old fishhook, so I gave him just a little, gentle bite to let him know, ‘I will chomp on this thing should you not remove your finger.’ Shady.”
Since retiring from MMA on Jun. 11, the former UFC contender signed on to compete at the fourth installment of Metamoris. The professional grappling promotion returns Aug. 9 in Los Angeles, headlined by a 20-minute submission only match between Sonnen and Jiu Jitsu legend Andre Galvao.
The 2X Mundial and Abu Dhabi Combat Club champion most recently competed at the 2014 IBJJF World Championship in the under 94 kg (207lbs) heavyweight division, taking silver. Galvao enjoyed a brief MMA career from 2008 to 2010, putting together a 5-2 record having only dropped bouts to UFC veterans Tyron Woodley and Jason High.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
Change. Bellator CEO Scott Coker pens a letter to fans indicating his plan to overhaul the organization. “Our goal is to make every Bellator event feel BIG and special which is a huge win for fighters, advertisers, and of course- and most importantly- you, the fans.”
Big deal. The UFC has partnered with with Vale Tudo Japan for a television series similar to The Ultimate Fighter, but with a few different tweaks, including a 30-week season and a round-robin style format.
No ego. Andre Galvao isn’t taking Chael Sonnen lightly ahead of their no-gi match at Metamoris. “If people think that (I will beat him up easily), I’m happy to hear that, but I see him as every other opponent. I must respect him and be ready for every situation in the fight to be able to win.”
‘Whatever happened to the UFC?’ Deadspin’s Tim Marchman responds to an article by Yahoo!’s Kevin Iole which made a case for more and more UFC events.
Big Brown. Brendan Schaub calls out Frank Mir and really isn’t happy about being left out of EA Sports’ UFC game.
MEDIA STEW
Fight Night: Auckland Weigh-ins.
Official trailer for Metamoris 4: Sonnen vs. Galvao.
Fight Night Auckland Q&A with Ross Pearson and Dylan Andrews.
Nick Newell has a nice bro story on recently beating up some big random.
Time lapse Octagon construction.
Don Frye is back with his ‘Predator Predictions’ for UFC 175.
Long watches.
UFC Fight Night 52 (Japan) press conference video
TWEETS
The Champs are ready.
What is happening here?
I have the hottest chick, she likes it fast #sexytime #goodthingiloveher http://t.co/Wj4rB7BIlP
— Dan Henderson (@danhendo) June 27, 2014
Pretty cool.
Jon Fitch is allegedly being paid, in part, for his next fight via a digital currency known as ‘Nautiluscoin’: http://t.co/PBCILTCiVG
— Luke Thomas (@SBNLukeThomas) June 27, 2014
Big day.
No pressure, well except for BILLION people that are watching. @ussoccer @ufc #usa #LetsDoThis pic.twitter.com/2HgLPyieKM
— Forrest Griffin (@ForrestGriffin) June 26, 2014
USA NUMBER 1! Stars and bars slamming beers in muscle cars! WOOOOOOOOOOO YEAH! #murica http://t.co/OnjvuIKSuu
— Josh Barnett (@JoshLBarnett) June 26, 2014
Let’s Go USA!! @ussoccer #letsdothis #1n1t #USA pic.twitter.com/0ZyN9hVFTM
— Demetrious Johnson (@MightyMouseUFC) June 26, 2014
Finally finished packing for Brazil. @tavik #WorldCup #USA budweiser lets do this. Rio here I come. http://t.co/0e4GUPnjXS
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) June 26, 2014
Germany Shmermamy Ya they won a few World Cups.But the USA is undefeated when It come 2 World Wars. 2 ~ 0 Land of the Free Home of the BRAVE
— phil baroni (@philbaroni) June 26, 2014
Please hurry.
Thanks for my new gear! Just cranking a one arm pull up…. No big deal. Haha gotta be ready every second @resnation pic.twitter.com/LW8gd96TCH
— Holly Holm (@_HOLLYHOLM) June 26, 2014
Mission accomplished.
This is my don’t get lost in Mexico outfit http://t.co/cldWCRGC9V
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) June 26, 2014
FYI.
The only match in Gi uniform is between Saulo Ribeiro and Rodrigo Medeiros, unless the #secretmatch is in Gi also. pic.twitter.com/mcJu1vwB9f
— Metamoris (@MetamorisPro) June 27, 2014
I’m sure Renzo appreciates it.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (June 26 2014)
Leandro Issa vs. Jumabieke Tuerxun at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale
Juan Manuel Puig vs. Adriano Martins at The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale
Chris Cariaso vs. Kyoji Horiguchi at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson
Takanori Gomi vs. TBA at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. TBA at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson
Norifumi Yamamoto vs. TBA at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson
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