Chael Sonnen made an emphatic statement in his return against Brian Stann, literally.
Sonnen dominated his opponent from the opening bell with constant pressure, as he closed the distance, and immediately fought for a take down. From there, Sonnen would take control of the bout and dictate the pace and he easily controlled Stann and passed his guard.
Stann tried to retreat back to the feet but Sonnen had his back and applied a rear naked choke, before slamming his opponent back down to the mat. He would continue to dominate Stann by landing strikes from top position as the round came to a close.
Sonnen would continue to rough up his opponent as he took him down again in the second round, continuing to control and outwork Stann. He showed excellent technique in transitioning to side mount, before he transitioned to full guard again. Sonnen applied a triangle choke, only for the referee to abruptly call for both competitors to stand up.
As the action resumed, Sonnen, again, imposed his will and slammed Stann down to the canvas. Sonnen ended up in side mount and applied an arm triangle, forcing Stann to tap.
However, Sonnen was not humble in defeat as he proceeded to call out UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and requested a rematch. Furthermore, he delivered an ultimatum to the Brazilian that will surely provoke fans to watch the anticipated title bout: If Sonnen wins, Silva would no longer compete in the middleweight division, but if Silva is victorious again, Sonnen promised to leave the UFC.
The post-fight interview certainly sounds more like a professional wrestling promo from Sonnen; however, the animosity he holds towards Silva is anything but scripted. The title bout is likely expected to take place on Super Bowl weekend.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com