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Chael Sonnen: Move to Middleweight Will Spark Title Fight

Chael Sonnen announced a return to the middleweight division and a new five-fight contract on 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….

Chael Sonnen announced a return to the middleweight division and a new five-fight contract on 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,” said Sonnen. “The landscape has completely changed. I have a new contract, and I’m returning to the weight class.”

Yet, one can’t help but think how coincidental the move is for Sonnen. I can’t imagine a simple weight cut by Silva or win streak by Belfort would constitute a complete change to the “landscape.” It couldn’t be Chris Weidman‘s defeat of Anderson Silva for the middleweight title, could it?

And then, there it is; the image of Sonnen, slithering like a title-driven snake through divisions, hissing more trash talk, eyes expectantly awaiting the flash of cameras.

First, 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.

And win or lose, Sonnen will remind all he was fighting in a heavier division, where he went “toe-to-toe” with the champion Jon Jones, because no one else had the guts. Then maybe he will fight Wanderlei Silva; a match seemingly tailor-made for Sonnen. Or maybe he won’t. Maybe he won’t fight anyone, and begin to salivate with Weidman insults, New York jokes and Matt Serra impressions.

In those moments of humor, fans will begin to forget about Sonnen‘s last fight – a TKO loss to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 148. They will forget the two title fight losses to former middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Discussions will permeate through the mixed martial arts community about Sonnen and Weidman‘s wrestling, UFC announcer Joe Rogan will call the fight an “interesting clash of two remarkable wrestlers,” and UFC President Dana White will start to tell reporters it is the fight fans want to see.

The fight will be made as the headline of a pay-per view, forums will explode with predictions, and journalists will revel in interviewing the Oregon native, who will deem the bout the “worst East Coast/West Coast rivalry since Tupac and Notorious B.I.G.”

And yet come fight night, I will be sitting in front of my television, forgetting every word of this article, engrossed in the story line of Weidman versus Sonnen, ordering another UFC pay-per view.

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Chael Sonnen Has TRT Exemption Approved for UFC Fight Night 26 Against Shogun

Former three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has already had his testosterone replacement therapy therapeutic usage exemption approved for UFC Fight Night 26, according to Boston.com.
Sonnen has been using TRT since 2008 and insists that, …

Former three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has already had his testosterone replacement therapy therapeutic usage exemption approved for UFC Fight Night 26, according to Boston.com.

Sonnen has been using TRT since 2008 and insists that, even though he was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission in 2010, he has never done anything wrong.

“That (TRT exemption for UFC Fight Night 26) got accepted on the record. They had a meeting. But, I never broke a rule anywhere. In California, they said that your T to E ratio [testosterone to epitestosterone] was high. Well it was! I was on testosterone. That gap is your ratio. All that tells you is what they already knew, that I was on testosterone. They didn’t understand their own test. They go, “No, your levels are way too high, you’re 17 to 1.” It’s like, guys, I could be 1700 to 1, I’m still within the legal limit. You don’t understand your own test. So they give me six months [suspension] instead of a year. The referee that night is now in prison and that executive director is back home in Washington state and has been fired. But these are the guys that I’m working with. This is what you get when you deal with government.”

After giving then-seemingly invincible middleweight champ Anderson Silva all he could handle for almost 22 minutes at UFC 117 in August 2010, “The American Gangster” got caught in a triangle choke and tapped out after initially trying to fight through the submission.

Afterwards, Sonnen was suspended by the CSAC for, as he recalled, having a testosterone-to-epitestosterone ratio of 16.9 to 1, with the highest T-to-E ratio permissible by the commission being 4-to-1 (via Sherdog).

The Team Quest standout won his initial appeal in December 2010, with the CSAC agreeing that the issue at hand was that Sonnen failed to disclose a medical condition, hypogonadism, which limits the body’s production of testosterone (via Cage Potato).

However, the CSAC suspended Sonnen for another six months after he was convicted of money laundering, also believing “Uncle Chael” may have provided false testimony during his appeal (via CageSideSeats.com).

Sonnen implied he considered taking his suspension case to court, but decided the suspension would be over before a court hearing concluded.

Over three years later, Sonnen says the whole ordeal left a bad taste in his mouth, saying that the CSAC has “the blind leading the blind” and “they don’t know their own rules.”

The former two-time All-American wrestler has a tough task awaiting him on August 17 in the form of PRIDE star/ex-UFC 205-pound titleholder Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.

Sonnen is just 2-3 in his past five bouts, though his losses came to Silva (twice) and current pound-for-pound top dog Jon Jones. He also boasts a 7-1 record in his past eight non-title match ups.

Shogun, who Sonnen called “a true legend,” is an even 5-5 under the UFC banner, a far cry from his incredible 12-1 record inside the PRIDE ring.

Rua was out-scored in each round by upcoming light heavyweight title challenger Alexander Gustafsson in his most recent fight at UFC on FOX 5 in December.

Will Sonnen show he can still be a legitimate threat at 205-pounds or will Rua pull out a vintage performance and shock the TD Garden with a brutal knockout?

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com.

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Gamblers Beware: Chael Sonnen Opens As Slight Favorite Over Shogun Rua

(Meanwhile, Shogun could be found outside the event’s velvet ropes, insisting to the bouncer that his girlfriend was already inside. / Photo via Getty)

Just a heads up, Potato Nation: The betting lines were released for the UFC on FOX Sports 1:1 headlining matchup between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Chael Sonnen yesterday. Surprisingly enough, “The American Gangster” has opened as a slight favorite (-139) over the former champion (+100) despite being on the heels of back-to-back losses and winless in the light heavyweight division since approximately ever.

Although Shogun is also coming off a tough loss to Alexander Gustafsson at UFC on FOX: Henderson vs. Diaz and has in fact gone loss-win in his past seven UFC contests, many fans predicted that he would emerge a favorite over Sonnen based on his track record alone. It should also be noted that Shogun has never lost back-to-back contests in his MMA career. On the other hand, Rua’s inconsistency on fight night is always a potential issue and it would appear that the oddsmakers are not predicting a vintage Shogun performance come August 17th.

On a positive note, DW & Co. were able to clear up the legal snafu that was threatening to implode UFC on FS 1:1, so there’s that, we guess.

While fate would predict a Shogun win, the bookies would say otherwise. Which will you put your faith in, Nation?

–J. Jones

(Meanwhile, Shogun could be found outside the event’s velvet ropes, insisting to the bouncer that his girlfriend was already inside. / Photo via Getty)

On a positive note, DW & Co. were able to clear up the legal snafu that was threatening to implode UFC on FS 1:1, so there’s that, we guess.

While fate would predict a Shogun win, the bookies would say otherwise. Which will you put your faith in, Nation?

–J. Jones

The 5 Most Exciting Fighters in the UFC

MMA is generally exciting. However, there is a spectrum of excitement in MMA. Many fighters are safe and methodical. We’re impressed by their talent, but they don’t always enthrall us. Certain fighters, however, showcase a sensational amount of grit an…

MMA is generally exciting. However, there is a spectrum of excitement in MMA. Many fighters are safe and methodical. We’re impressed by their talent, but they don’t always enthrall us.

Certain fighters, however, showcase a sensational amount of grit and fortitude whenever they’re locked in the Octagon. They’re not meek. They’re not cautious. Are they crazy? They evoke so much excitement that viewers howl at their televisions, devolving into monkeys intoxicated with primal passion and a thirst for carnage.

“Excitement” can’t be measured objectively. My qualifiers for excitement include daring, resilience, relentlessness and toughness. Moreover, you’ll find the men on this list simply possess the biggest cajones in the UFC.

Scope out this list, which is in no particular order, and feel free to post your thoughts below.

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Shogun Rua Says He Won’t Be Affected by Chael Sonnen’s Comments

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua had been scheduled to make his 2013 debut at UFC 162, but an injury to opponent Antonio Rogerio Nogueira pushed that debut back. Now, the Brazilian is set to headline a new card and face a new opponent. At UFC on Fox Sports 1…

The Rua vs. Sonnen matchup presents an interesting stylistic pairing of striker versus wrestler. It is one that has played out inside the Octagon hundreds of times before, sometimes favoring the striker, other times the wrestler.

The matchup also presents an interesting clash of personalities between the always laid-back and classy Rua and the loud, insulting and often obnoxious Sonnen.

While Sonnen has yet to launch any shells Rua‘s way since the fight was announced, there is little doubt something is in the works. Sonnen rarely misses the opportunity to prod at his opponents pre-fight, and that is doubly true for Brazilian opponents.

For his part, Rua says he knows what is coming and isn’t going to let Sonnen‘s jabbering rile him up. When speaking with Brazilian media outlet Tatame, the former light heavyweight champ had this to say, with translation from MMA Mania:

He disrespected [Antonio] Nogueira [and] Wanderlei [Silva]. About me, he still said nothing. But disrespecting Wanderlei is enough. He is a controversial guy that really likes to talk a lot, but I’m cool. Sonnen will surely want to say something to me, but it does not affect me at all.

Shogun’s stance is the one you’d expect him to take, given his always-relaxed demeanor. But how well he is able to maintain his current disposition toward Sonnen will be something worth monitoring as we move close to fight night.

That is assuming Sonnen returns to his usual tricks, an assumption that can be made with relative confidence.

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What Version of Chael Sonnen Will We See Leading up to UFC on Fox Sports 1?

Although Chael Sonnen’s name no longer gets injected into the discussion of the UFC’s elite,”The American Gangster” undeniably remains one of the company’s most polarizing characters.But two straight devastating TKO losses in title fights have some dou…

Although Chael Sonnen‘s name no longer gets injected into the discussion of the UFC’s elite,”The American Gangster” undeniably remains one of the company’s most polarizing characters.

But two straight devastating TKO losses in title fights have some doubting that Sonnen‘s notoriously exciting persona will return before his main-event bout with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC on Fox Sports 1.

More specifically, will recent woes persuade Sonnen to unveil a more brash character—if that’s feasible—or a more humble version of himself, similar to the one seen on season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter?

The American Gangster’s explanation for picking a fight with Rua on UFC Tonight should serve as an indicator that Sonnen fans should expect to witness some of his greatest antics in the near future.

I went after Wanderlei and I was quite candid. I went after Wanderlei because he’s the worst guy I could find, record-wise. He’s the worst fighter in the UFC. I know what you’re thinking. ‘What about Cro Cop?’ You’re right, Cro Cop was terrible, but, Wanderlei‘s record was actually a bit worse. I couldn’t get Wanderlei, so I said, ‘Why don’t I fight the guy that destroyed Wanderlei for years in the practice room?’ And that brings us to Shogun. I like Shogun. I have nothing against Shogun, this is just good solid competition. But, Wanderlei did this to you Shogun.

Sonnen‘s perpetual animosity toward Brazilian fighters like Anderson Silva, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Wanderlei Silva also suggests that his trash talking will escalate to new heights in preparation for Rua.

Sonnen said the following via The Telegraph regarding the decision of Nogueira’s younger brother, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, to pull out of his fight with Rua at UFC 161:

Little Chicken Belly Nog pulled the same scumbag move that he does every time, lets the UFC put out posters, commercials, doing everything to promote him, knowing full well he’s not going to do the fight. Once again he calls in sick, three weeks early. In no industry on earth can you do that. Nobody can call their boss and say ‘Hey, boss, 20 days from now, I’m not going to feel good.’ So he calls in sick three weeks early. It was a ruse from the beginning, and basically, I just wanted to help out.

Several years into his volatile career, Sonnen spawned the idea that his personality—chiefly his humor—could help him land the significant fights he’d always yearned for.

The long-time Team Quest member believed from the get-go that his wrestling pedigree and his rare brand of grit gave him an edge over the lion’s share of the world’s best middleweights and light heavyweights.

But the former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler didn’t fully delve into a Muhammad Ali-like act until he began promoting his first scrap with Anderson Silva at UFC 117.

Since then, the 36-year-old Sonnen has utterly captivated heaps of fans with his talents in the area of linguistic warfare.

With each fight, regardless of his opponent, The American Gangster will continue to become more refined in the art of self promotion. Expect to hear a plethora Sonnen one-liners and quips in the days and weeks leading up to UFC on Fox Sports 1, and then expect to see Sonnen to eat his words in the Octagon afterward.

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