At one point in his career, Chael Sonnen was one of the most soft-spoken, gentle fighters in the entire sport of mixed martial arts.However, that all changed when he stepped foot inside the Octagon to take on Anderson Silva at UFC 117.After dominating …
At one point in his career, Chael Sonnen was one of the most soft-spoken, gentle fighters in the entire sport of mixed martial arts.
However, that all changed when he stepped foot inside the Octagon to take on Anderson Silva at UFC 117.
After dominating the UFC middleweight champion for four-and-a-half rounds, Sonnen found himself in a desperate situation with just two minutes remaining in the fifth and final round.
Seconds later, Sonnen submitted via triangle armbar in one of the most historical comebacks of all time.
Following his defeat, Sonnen was no longer your “average” fighter, but much more.
In fact, Sonnen made it a point to call out Silva on a daily basis, but he wasn’t the only fighter Sonnen called out.
Following the biggest win of his career over Cain Velasquez at UFC on FOX, Sonnen called out Junior Dos Santos—not regarding his victory, but the injury he endured in training preparations leading up to his championship bout with Velasquez.
“Junior dos Santos saying he’s got a knee injury. Look… if that’s marketing, fine, but if he legitimately had an injury, this is the biggest story to come out of that night because that is a violation against the Athletic Commission.”
But Sonnen didn’t stop there as he continued to address Dos Santos’ apparent injury by stating,
“Before a bout a fighter signs, under penalty of perjury, a letter stating that he is not hiding any ailment. A violation at best, that’s a fine, at worst that’s a suspension. I think it’s marketing. I think he’s lying to the media, and that’s fine. If he lies to the government, big problems.”
Stay tuned for any Chael Sonnen news or updates that may occur.
UFC on Fox 1 peaked with 8.8 million viewers watching: here. UFC on Fox 1 made over a million at the gate: here. NY State Senators back UFC‘s fight to legalize MMA: here. Bellator Middleweight.
UFC on Fox 1 peaked with 8.8 million viewers watching: here.
UFC on Fox 1 made over a million at the gate: here.
NY State Senators back UFC‘s fight to legalize MMA: here.
Bellator Middleweight Champ calls Chael Sonnen “boring as ****”: here.
Watch live UFC 139 weigh-ins at 7pm ET (4pm PT): here.
Oh look, Josh Koscheck is not an ass. Watch AKA fighters feed the homeless: here.
Speaking of asses, apparently so many people get things stuck up in them, they made a book about it with pictures!: here.
Enjoy more photos of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Calendar 2012 models below:
“The Stoic Russian” is a hurtful stereotype, so we didn’t include it. The more you know…..
People complain about “pro-wrestling bullshit” invading MMA, but it’s been demonstrated over and over again: personality will get you places in the fight game. We’ve pointed this out before, like when we advised Jon Fitch on how to ensure a title shot. Some fighters are talked about incessantly on forums, at lunch tables, and in interviews because they’ve managed to capture the interest of fans, and many times it is because of things that they have done or said while not in the cage.
Come on in and let’s talk about archetypes, drama, and personality. Because there’s only so many technique videos out there.
“The Stoic Russian” is a hurtful stereotype, so we didn’t include it. The more you know…..
People complain about “pro-wrestling bullshit” invading MMA, but it’s been demonstrated over and over again: personality will get you places in the fight game. We’ve pointed this out before, like when we advised Jon Fitch on how to ensure a title shot. Some fighters are talked about incessantly on forums, at lunch tables, and in interviews because they’ve managed to capture the interest of fans, and many times it is because of things that they have done or said while not in the cage.
Come on in and let’s talk about archetypes, drama, and personality. Because there’s only so many technique videos out there.
Tank Abbott, Tito Ortiz, So Very Many Others: “The Bad Boy”
When Ortiz began calling himself “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy”, Tank was all like, “I ain’t dead yet.”
Tito Ortiz pioneered the role of the heel in the UFC, and helped carry the company through lean times with outstanding promotional work, including a long-standing feud with Ken Shamrock‘s Lion’s Den that was better than anything being scripted in the WWE. Then Tito went about as full-on “bad boy” as it gets, by wifing a porn star. Sure, it takes a tough guy to be a champ in the UFC, but sticking your tongue in that particular holiest of holies? That’s some next-level bad boy shit, right there.
Note: It’s popular for fighters to project the bad boy image, but it’s a tough road to walk. James Irvin got himself a bad boy tattoo, and things really haven’t gone well for him. Something to keep in mind.
Note here the difference between “Asshole” and “Heel”. A heel is a dastardly, evil person who hates fans, and basks in the uneven glow of insults and epithets he encounters whenever he performs. An asshole brings Bud Light to a party, snags a Heineken from the fridge, and asks if your sister is DTF … but then he acts offended if anyone acts offended.
Kos and Bisping genuinely believe that they are good guys, and neither of them understand why everyone has such a goddamn problem with them. (See: any episode of TUF in which they appear.) A true asshole is mystified when faced with others’ distate of his assholishness.
I’ll just leave this right here…
“Don’t look at the camera, ‘Page, it makes you look like an asshole.”
Miguel Torres, Tom Lawlor, Jason Miller, et al: The Jester
You’re just jealous because you can’t play dress-up at your job.
Generally active via social media, these jokers engage in various styles of goofiness. Jesters tend to be fond of elaborate fight entrances entrances, featuring choreography, extras, props, and/or elaborate costumes. (Forrest Griffin should get a mention here too, since he was a pretty funny guy until he was perpetually crabby.)
For maximum hilarity, combine “The Jester” with “The Asshole” and agitate.
Whilst Anderson Silva is convalescing, Chael Sonnen and Mark Muñoz have attempted to goad the UFC middleweight champion into a title throwdown. “The Spider” sustained a shoulder injury whilst training for the Yushin Okami fight which…
Whilst Anderson Silva is convalescing, Chael Sonnen and Mark Muñoz have attempted to goad the UFC middleweight champion into a title throwdown.
“The Spider” sustained a shoulder injury whilst training for the Yushin Okami fight which he won via TKO at UFC 134.
The downside to the fight was that Silva exacerbated the injury, thus leaving him out of action until sometime in early 2012.
Whereas the champ has been recuperating from his minor setback, two of the division’s 185-pounders have taken it upon themselves to call out the Matrix-esque phenom.
One is a supposed friend and the other his arch enemy.
The idiom “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown” comes to mind.
Since being submitted by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva back at UFC 117, Chael Sonnen has been vying for another shot at the champ.After defeating Brian Stann at UFC 136, Sonnen went so far as to call Silva out in front of the whole world, ch…
Since being submitted by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva back at UFC 117, Chael Sonnen has been vying for another shot at the champ.
After defeating Brian Stann at UFC 136, Sonnen went so far as to call Silva out in front of the whole world, challenging the champ to match on Super Bowl weekend.
According to mma.sbnation.com, Silva is ready to grant Sonnen another shot, but the No. 1 middleweight in the world has some conditions of his own.
“I don’t like this guy,” he said. “This guy (wants to) fight me? Go to Brazil. No problem. Chael talks too much. I’m ready to fight Chael. But you have the chance – go to Brazil to fight me,” said Silva, when discussing the possibility of fighting Sonnen a second time.
UFC president Dana White has publicly confirmed that Silva’s next fight will be Sonnen, but no official action has been taken thus far. What’s more, Super Bowl weekend seems unlikely as a highly anticipated fight between UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has already been scheduled for that event.
“There’s no date, there’s nothing set up,” Soares said. “That’s what (Sonnen) is saying he wants. But when Dana White decides and when the UFC decides. Right now, there’s nothing set.”
Whether or not White will grant Silva’s request to fight Sonnen in Brazil remains to be seen, but most fans would agree that it’s the perfect fight to headline the UFC’s next venture into Silva’s homeland.
At one point in his career, Chael Sonnen was one of the most soft-spoken, gentle fighters in the entire sport of mixed martial arts.
