Should Conor McGregor not make it to fight night at UFC 303 later this month, Chael Sonnen has an idea on whom the promotion could draft in to face Michael Chandler instead.
Moments after the milestone UFC 300 pay-per-view concluded this past April, the long-awaited return of McGregor was finally confirmed. After over a year of speculation, the former two-division champ had his comeback fight opposite Chandler made official.
The pair are slated to headline this year’s edition of International Fight Week, topping the lineup at the UFC 303 pay-per-view on June 29. But shortly after entering the month of the event, the fanbase has its concerns.
Sonnen doesn’t believe that to be the case. In the event it is, however, the former fighter thinks the UFC has a strong alternative for Chandler…
Sonnen Names The ‘Fight To Book’ For Chandler If McGregor Pulls Out
During a recent episode of his Good Guy/Bad Guy show alongside Daniel Cormier on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Sonnen gave his take on the recent rumors regarding McGregor’s status for UFC 303.
After claiming that McGregor’s fight “code” means he’s unlikely to pull out of a fight on late notice, “The American Gangster” suggested that a withdrawal would spell the end of his matchup with Chandler for good.
In that scenario, Sonnen believes the UFC would be wise to turn its attention to a BMF title showdown between “Iron” and Max Holloway.
“One of Conor’s codes is the show must go on… I just don’t believe, a month in advance — whether it’s illness, injury, or any other excuse — that Conor’s gonna be the one that pulls,” Sonnen said. “But I will tell you this, there will be no postponement of this fight. They either fight on the 29th or we move on.
“I believe Conor’s gonna be opposite Michael Chandler. I’m very confident in telling you that,” Sonnen continued. “However, if he’s not, Michael Chandler versus Max Holloway for the BMF is the fight to book.”
Holloway won the symbolic belt in his return to the lightweight division at UFC 300, brutally knocking out Justin Gaethje in the dying seconds after outperforming “The Highlight” for the best part of five rounds.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King Jr. #UFC303 – Walk On. – See you at the top! pic.twitter.com/uVj6BfJPnv
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) June 3, 2024
Former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen isn’t buying into Jon Jones’ theory on the training footage recently released by heavyweight legend Stipe Miocic.
Jones and Miocic are expected to collide toward the end of 2024 with the former’s heavyweight belt on the line. They were originally set to do battle last November at Madison Square Garden but an injury to the champion forced a change of plans.
But while many expressed concern over what they perceived to be a clear decline in speed from the divisional legend, who has not competed in over three years, Jones theorized that Miocic may have been attempting to instil a false sense of confidence into him.
A former opponent of the reigning champ’s, however, has dismissed that take and put forth an alternative suggestion…
Sonnen Doubts Miocic Is ‘Trying To Dupe’ Jones
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen assessed the brief clip Miocic posted online, as well as Jones’ comments on it.
“The Bad Guy” dismissed the idea that Miocic may have been attempting to deceive the champ, claiming there isn’t a single fighter who would willingly release footage that shows their ability in a negative light.
Instead, Sonnen believes the explanation is more simple — Miocic just wasn’t competing an explosive training drill.
“Jon Jones isn’t buying what Stipe Miocic is selling as legit training footage on Instagram,” Sonnen said. “Stipe looks a little bit slow… But I didn’t interpret it as he was going full out. I interpreted that he was working on technique… Jon Jones is talking about, ‘Hey man, he’s trying to deceive me, he’s trying to fool me. He looked slow in that video but he wants me to see that. He wants me to see that he’s slowed down so that I can build (a false sense of) confidence.’
“One thing that I have learned… There is no scenario that I could imagine that Jon could make the video and/or have the decision over said video to be posted to the world or not, and Jon, whether for delusion or strategy, would allow anyone to put a video out that he did not think made him look good,” Sonnen continued. “I don’t think Stipe was trying to dupe anybody… I don’t know a fighter whose little fragile ego would allow a video to go out where they perhaps could be perceived as anything not positive. I don’t know a single fighter whose ego is strong enough to allow a video to go out on social media that made them look anything other than superhuman.”
As he begins preparation for his return to action, Jones looks set to be answering plenty of questions regarding his decision to focus on Miocic and dismiss his division’s interim champion.
The footage shows McGregor partying at his Black Forge Inn until the early hours of the morning.
Whilst there isn’t a video which sees him consuming any alcohol, he is dancing with his long-time partner Dee Devlin amongst other things like taking his shirt off.
Though some were quick to disregard this as McGregor being out of control and not taking his comeback fight against Michael Chandler seriously, perhaps there is a deeper meaning at play.
Sonnen Suggests Conor McGregor Is Giving Himself Built-In Excuse By Partying During Fight Camp
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen attempted to unpack the videos of McGregor that surfaced over the weekend.
“The Bad Guy” made the point that why would McGregor put himself in this scenario knowing that everyone has a camera in their pockets.
With that in mind, he tried to think about why “The Notorious” would want something like this out there.
Some may point to it being an attempt to throw people off with the Ryan Garcia style of mind games to lull people into underestimating him.
Sonnen, however, compared the videos to the former antics of Jon Jones and how he would sabotage himself in order to ease the pressure of winning.
“That’s where all of your options all of a sudden start really narrowing and when you’re confronted with the reality that it is not a marketing piece, then what is the story? What is the story and the message that the sports greatest storyteller is attempting to get you to consume. Jon Jones played the same game and Jon Jones eventually quit playing the game but he told the world why he was doing it initially and that was he always wanted to have an excuse in case he lost.
“Not to you, the public, he wanted to have one for himself. If he would go to practice and he would work hard, he’d do what the coaches asked him, he’d put all that time in but he would also go out and drink and have a good time. If he was to taste defeat could tell himself well yeah but it was because of…”
Sonnen is accused of assaulting six different hotel patrons, including one woman, during an altercation at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. The incident allegedly took place after an unidentified man made inappropriate gestures and comments towards Sonnen’s wife while at the casino.
Sonnen is due to appear in a Las Vegas court on April 27. He wasn’t arrested or put in jail after police responded to the scene and was briefly detained by officers.
Sonnen fought against some of the best in the UFC during his tenure with the promotion, including two fights against then-champion Anderson Silva and one against Jon Jones.
Sonnen hasn’t competed in MMA since he fought in Bellator back in 2019. Following back-to-back wins over Rampage Jackson and Wanderlei Silva, he suffered losses to Lyoto Machida and Fedor Emelianenko before calling it quits.
After his retirement, Sonnen has placed his attention on broadcasting, serving as a UFC analyst and MMA analyst at ESPN. He also has garnered a large following on YouTube, where he posts video segments and his thoughts on MMA hot topics on an almost daily basis.
Sonnen hasn’t commented publically on the charges since they were re-filed in Las Vegas.
What is your reaction to the latest Chael Sonnen legal issues?
Chael Sonnen believes Charles Oliveira should thank Tony Ferguson because without him, he wouldn’t have gotten the title shot.
At UFC 256 in December of 2020, Ferguson stepped up to face Oliveira on just a few weeks’ notice. It was an intriguing matchup as ‘El Cucuy’ was linked to Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler before that. However, because he wanted to fight, Ferguson took the fight against Oliveira who was ranked below him. With that, Sonnen says Oliveira should be thanking Ferguson for the opportunity.
“One real cool move that Tony did, he did it for Charles Oliveira and I’ve never heard Charles thank Tony, he may have thanked him but I didn’t hear it,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via Sportskeeda). “Oliveira was a really good fighter but he couldn’t get on a docket with one of the stars of the division. Tony was a star of the division, got up in the loft, threw the ladder down behind him so Charles could climb up.
Tony Ferguson vs. Charles Oliveira, UFC 256
“Charles gets done with Tony, Tony has gotta figure out what he’s gonna do, Charles goes into a world title fight, the rest is history – but Charles does not have a world title fight let alone a world championship if it’s not for Tony Ferguson,” Sonnen added.
After Charles Oliveira dominated Tony Ferguson for three rounds, he got the title shot against Chandler in May, on the same card Ferguson lost to Beneil Dariush. Oliveira ended up scoring a second-round KO to win the vacant belt and has since defended it with a submission win over Poirier.
Although Oliveira has cemented his status as the current best lightweight in the world, Sonnen hopes the Brazilian thanks Ferguson. He will have the chance to do so again as they will once again be on the same card as Oliveira will headline UFC 274 on May 7 against Justin Gaethje while Ferguson will take on Chandler in the co-main event.
Do you agree with Chael Sonnen that Charles Oliveira should thank Tony Ferguson?
Chael Sonnen has suggested reigning UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski has validated an immediate return to title contention for Conor McGregor.
McGregor hasn’t been in action since suffering a brutal leg break at UFC 264 last July. The injury, which resulted in a TKO loss, marked his second defeat to Dustin Poirier in 2021 and his third setback in four appearances.
“Obviously, Conor’s always gonna get his name out there,” Volkanovski said. “You’ve gotta remember, he was a featherweight, he was a champion of my division. So, I’ve taken out the featherweight champs, so to take out, the only one left, isn’t he? Yeah, it’s just Conor. There was me, (José) Aldo, Max (Holloway), and Conor. So it makes a lot of sense. Obviously, it would be a dream. And then I’ve taken out all the other champs in my division. So that would be incredible.”
While at first glance, the remarks perhaps appear harmless and to simply be a casual comment on a dream matchup, former middleweight and light heavyweight UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has suggested Volkanovski’s words could mean a lot in the context of McGregor’s return.
Sonnen Suggests Volkanovski Co-Signed A McGregor Title Shot
In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen discussed Volkanovski’s comments. He claimed that the Australian had, whether by intention or not, provided validation for a potential McGregor title shot.
“There is an ongoing conversation of should Conor McGregor be able to return off of a loss, off of a previous loss, off of an injury, and fight for a world championship,” said Sonnen. “There seems to be a very meaningful discussion, which got supported when Islam Makhachev got re-booked against Dariush.
“Many people are pushing back on it, saying Conor should not be able to come off a loss into a world championship fight… It doesn’t sound like Volkanovski agrees with you,” noted Sonnen. “Volkanovski, whether he meant to or not, just gave validation, as a sitting champion of the world, that Conor McGregor can, in fact, come right back into a world title fight.”
Conor McGregor (Photo: Sportsfile)
Sonnen did, however, acknowledge Volkanovski’s words came from his own desire to meet McGregor, which, at featherweight at least, is unlikely. Nevertheless, the 44-year-old claimed that the Aussie’s quote, given his place at the champions’ table, means something, regardless of which title conversation McGregor is in.
“Volkanovski, of course, was personalizing and talking about him(self), and I don’t think Conor’s gonna be making featherweight any time soon,” admitted Sonnen. “But set that aside, you now have a world champion, whether he intended to or not, that just co-signed the statement that Conor McGregor qualifies for a world title fight upon his return. One world champion, one sitting and reigning world champion, has got to speak for how many of us? What’s his opinion worth? He’s got skin in the game. He’s got credibility.
“You’ve now got somebody with a seat at the head table, who is saying that Conor should qualify based on his laurels, based on the success that he has had before. I don’t disagree with that, I don’t disagree with that at all,” Sonnen concluded.
UFC commentator Chael Sonnen doesn’t want to hear about the BMF title ever again, and he doesn’t think there’s any reason to still discuss it.
Sonnen’s thoughts come after the BMF titleholder, Jorge Masvidal, lost via unanimous decision to Colby Covington at UFC 272. Masvidal earned the BMF title by defeating Nate Diaz at UFC 244.
Sonnen, who was arguably a ‘BMF’ during his time in the UFC, is never afraid to speak his mind. He’s proven to be just as outspoken after retirement as he was during his fighting career.
“The BMF is gone,” Sonnen said. “I’m annoyed that it took me this long to see it. I usually see these things upfront. We don’t need to discuss it again. It’s not going to be contested again. I love the BMF and I’m sad that it’s over. I’ve been talking about it for three years now hoping that we’d resurrect that thing. We gotta stop, it ends today. The BMF is not getting fought for again.”
The BMF title was made specifically after Diaz called out Masvidal following his win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 241. It’s unclear if Diaz and Masvidal will ever rematch down the line after their first matchup ended in controversy.
Do you agree with Chael Sonnen about the BMF title being finished?
Chael Sonnen liked what he saw from rising UFC star Khamzat Chimaev when he got a chance to watch him train in Las Vegas.
Chimaev and middleweight Darren Till have moved their training to Las Vegas ahead of their Octagon returns. Chimaev has been spotted training at the UFC Performance Institute and was also in attendance cageside at UFC 272.
Chimaev will face what is being considered the toughest test of his young UFC career against former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC 273. The two welterweights have gone back and forth on social media regarding a potential fight for months.
“Okay, so that’s gonna be the ninth of April, pay-per-view,” Sonnen said of Chimaev vs. Burns. “I love that match. Right now, I am leaning towards Chimaev. But I’m drunk on the excitement of Chimaev. No fighter’s got the wind on his back quite like Chimaev. There’s just something to be said for momentum. I got to watch him work out for the first time last week. All the rumors are true.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
A win over a former title challenger like Burns could earn Chimaev a title shot against welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. If Usman can get past Leon Edwards later this year in their planned matchup, Chimaev could get an opportunity to claim the welterweight throne.
What is your prediction for Khamzat Chimaev vs. Gilbert Burns?
Chael Sonnen thinks Floyd Mayweather should speed up the process of paying Logan Paul his fair share after their exhibition.
Mayweather and Paul competed in a boxing exhibition in Miami, FL last year. It was one of the most-watched boxing events of 2021, despite a formal winner not being declared.
The bout between Mayweather and Paul wasn’t officially sanctioned due to the large physical discrepancy between the two of them. The result of the bout was left in the eyes and minds of the viewers.
While Mayweather and Paul seemed to be on amicable terms just minutes after their fight, that has appeared to have fizzled over. Paul has reportedly threatened legal action against Mayweather over an alleged failed payout.
Mayweather has since responded to the allegations during a recent podcast appearance, citing that the issue has to do with pay-per-view revenue.
“I know some of you (who) got the little TMT shirts think that The Money Team’s a real business. It’s not,” Sonnen said of Mayweather. “It’s a bank account that goes one way: Money comes in. They do not have a team. They do not have a staff. They do not have a lease. They do not have obligations. They don’t have debt to service. It’s not a real company. He signed a contract with (The Money Team). That’s a big problem. Big problem for Floyd if he received funds, and he did. And he converted those funds to his own, which it appears that he did.
“So this story is going to be ongoing. But if you are Team Floyd, you’re gonna wanna lawyer up real fast, you’re gonna wanna get a hold of their representation. Before the FB gets called in to look at this, you’re gonna wanna make a deal, and you’re gonna want to pay Logan Paul.”
Mayweather hasn’t competed in professional boxing since his win over former UFC champion Conor McGregor in 2017. He remains adamant about staying retired despite calls for him to return to the ring.
Paul has hinted at a return to boxing in 2022 against fellow YouTube sensation Whindersson Nunes. It’s unclear how the Mayweather/Paul drama will end up playing out in the coming weeks and months.
What are your thoughts on the Floyd Mayweather/Logan Paul drama?
Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes middleweight contender Sean Strickland is misinterpreting the reaction to his outgoing personality.
Since returning to the Octagon from a two-year absence in 2020, Strickland has quickly risen up the 185-pound ladder, developing both his status as a contender and prominence across the fanbase in the process. But while his fighting has certainly done some talking, his mouth has done a significant amount more.
While some praise the #6-ranked middleweight for his lack of censorship and willingness to speak his mind, others believe he routinely crosses the line.
Sonnen Thinks Strickland Is Going In The Wrong Direction
Perhaps surprisingly, one man who has warned Strickland about the path he’s going down is Sonnen. Not many fighters have played up to a ‘heel’ character quite like the former middleweight and light heavyweight contender.
But while he acknowledges the need to accentuate a character in order to rise the ranks, the 44-year-old has suggested it’s time for Strickland to tone it down now that he’s reached title contention.
During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen warned Strickland that he’s misinterpreting the laughter from fans and pundits as support. Instead, the Oregon native believes many are uncomfortable with the 30-year-old’s antics and are usually laughing at him, not with him.
“Sean is a character, man. He’s doing a gimmick, he’s a character, he’s an entertainer. It makes me nervous,” said Sonnen. “I think he’s going in the wrong direction. I think there was a time for that, to get some focus, to get some attention, to get the better fights, to work your way up the card. Once you get there, you can now go down main street.
“There’s always room for a straight man, for sure. You start playing that game, and I made a living playing that game, it’s a risky one,” added Sonnen. “I think Sean makes some people uncomfortable. I know everyone’s laughing and everyone’s cheering him on, but I don’t think they’re really supporting him. I think they’re laughing at him. I think they’re in shock at what he’s doing. I think he’s misinterpreting it.”
Im the old school MMA fighter back when they had personalities, you know just a bunch of scum bags who liked to fight.. Now they all suck cock trying to get on a Wheaties box. Fuck I wanna be on a Wheaties box! Someone give me a rainbow flag 🌈! I'm a changed man!!!
Sonnen is not the first to speak out against Strickland’s mindset and controversial statements. Last week, top-five contender Derek Brunson criticized “Tarzan” for his remarks, suggesting he hopes his UFC peer can change his ways soon.
The BOAT is the Best of All Time. Unlike the GOAT, you aren’t bound by the laws of longevity. There’s no need to wait for a decade or more to begin a conversation that you can plainly see is going to happen anyway. Nope, you can strictly go by talent and the likelihood to win any given contest, no matter the circumstances.
This week in BOAT talk, Chael Sonnen tackles the debate of Anderson Silva vs. Israel Adesanya for middleweight supremacy.
Last week, Daniel Cormier gave his take on just who is the middleweight GOAT. Seeing as how the majority of people define a “GOAT” to be the man who has the most accomplishments in a given field, Cormier considered it an insult to rank anyone over Anderson Silva, who has the most successful title defenses in UFC middleweight history. Below, you can find Mr. Cormier’s argument.
“No. Dude, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva existed. Like, I don’t get this recency bias that fans have,” Cormier said during a recent episode of DC&RC. “Honestly RC, I think the word ‘GOAT’ gets thrown around way too easy in fight sports. The only person that doesn’t get passed is Muhammad Ali and there have been some really impressive fighters, but people recognize what Muhammad Ali was. Anderson Silva was to MMA what Muhammad Ali was to boxing. No, [Israel Adesanya] has some work to do to catch Anderson.” (h/t SportsKeeda)
Chael Sonnen Takes Cormier To Task For MW GOAT Take
Chael Sonnen, Daniel Cormier
Chael Sonnen feels as strong about this debate as Cormier, only he is taking the opposite side. Both Sonnen and Cormier have competed against Anderson Silva before. Sonnen fell short twice while Cormier defeated Silva at UFC 200. Sonnen believes that victory is the most logical explanation for DC placing Silva over Adesanya despite the fact that he feels “The Last Style Bender” squashed The Spider’s place as MW GOAT.
“(Cormier) said that other people come up to him all the time and ask him about Adesanya. And then they, in their question about Adesanya, say to him, ‘Is he the greatest of all time?’ Daniel pushed back and said, ‘Time out. Recency bias aside, Anderson Silva existed. Anderson Silva is the greatest of all time.’ He then went on to talk about (how) we always do that. We always pass up somebody with somebody new, and the only sports figure in history that that hasn’t happened to is Muhammad Ali.’ What in the BLEEP is Daniel Cormier talking about?!” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.
“There is nothing on that that is accurate. There is no way that Daniel believes it, except Daniel fought Anderson Silva and would like to pad his own résumé so he wants to have beaten the greatest of all time (is) all I can think. Or, he didn’t have enough time to think about the question. There is zero truth to it.”
Sonnen would also use Muhammad Ali as an example of erroneous usage of the “GOAT” label. Sonnen argued that if we were to poll trainers and boxers of 2022 who they watched film on to improve their technique and skillset, it wouldn’t be Muhammad Ali.
Sonnen would go on to shoot down common arguments found in GOAT debates where the losing fighter is granted an “out-of-prime” exception.
“Look, if we are at least down to Adesanya and Anderson, we’ve done a good and fair job as a community. Because those are the two. I will tell you this: they fought. And it was a good fight. Adesanya won two rounds to one. Everybody saw it the same as the judges. Adesanya won 1 and 3; Anderson won number 2. It was a valiant effort by Anderson. It was closer than any of us thought that it was gonna be. It was a great fight. But that still answers the question, if you’re being fair. If you want to be unfair and your side doesn’t win, you (say), ‘Well, he wasn’t in his prime.’ Shut up with all that. Just stop. Stop.”
Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko, Image Credit: Associated Press
One person who is often granted an out-of-prime exemption is heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko. Those who argue he is the heavyweight or overall MMA GOAT dismiss losses to names like Dan Henderson, Fabricio Werdum, and Antonio Silva because Fedor (who was in his early-mid 30s at the time of those losses) was out of his prime. Sonnen appears to believe that Anderson Silva is being granted this same exemption when it comes to his loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 234.
There is just one problem with Sonnen’s take. For the most part, the vast majority of people do not define GOAT the way he seems to. It is clear that what Sonnen is arguing is that Israel Adesanya is the BOAT. He is arguing that Adesanya is a better, not more accomplished, fighter than Silva. He believes that Israel Adesanya is more likely to win any given fight, and that Adesanya further proved his superiority by defeating Silva head-to-head, thus closing the door on any credible debate on the matter.
If Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen had a face-to-face debate on this issue, I can assure you that they would talk in circles. The reason being that they are debating two different things. Daniel Cormier is having a GOAT debate while Chael Sonnen is having a BOAT debate.
Folks, there are over 500,000 words in the English language. That number changes every year, and each year brings new additions. It wasn’t too long ago that “GOAT” was added to the English and sports lexicon. When there are so many words in just one language, this can only be possible when there are several words that have very similar meanings but with the slightest of alterations.
It is undebatable that “BOAT” is one of those words; that it has a clear difference in meaning than GOAT; and most importantly, that we need to finally add it to the English and sports lexicon.
Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has pleaded with Conor McGregor to provide some more information surrounding his return to the Octagon.
The injury marked his second defeat of the year, his second consecutive setback to Dustin Poirier, and his second TKO loss in six months. Understandably, that form has left many wondering whether we’ve seen the last of the Irishman at his best inside the cage.
Nevertheless, McGregor seems as committed as ever and firmly on his road back to fighting. Having consistently updated fans on his recovery via social media, the former two-division champion is evidently nearing the end of his recovery and preparing to return to full MMA sparring.
But with talk of his return rising to the surface, there’s one question still unanswered.
Sonnen Tells McGregor To “Pick A Division”
Over the course of his incredibly successful career in the sport, McGregor has reached the mountaintop of both the featherweight and lightweight divisions in the UFC, and had success at welterweight. That variety, coupled with his potential opponents and apparent bulked physique, has left some wondering what weight the “Notorious” megastar will step on the scale at next time out.
“Nate Diaz’s last fight, you’ve got something special that deserves to be done just right,” said Sonnen. “Poirier vs. Conor works, I understand that but part four is a little weird. Particularly when two and three didn’t have a single round won by Conor. It was very uncompetitive.”
But before considering which name is more likely and who we could see McGregor share the Octagon with next, Sonnen said the Irishman has to provide clarity on which weight class he’ll return in.
“Conor’s got to give us a little more info too, he’s putting pictures out, he’s 190 pounds. Is he planning on stopping by 170? Is he planning on going back to 155? It just depends on the day that you talk to him.
“Conor has been for a meaningful period of time and will live the rest of his career on the same unique spot that he monopolies. Which is, whatever he does, is going to work,” Sonnen added. “Does Conor have the same pursuit of getting back to a world championship? If that answer is yes, he has to pick a division.” (h/t Pundit Arena)
It is no secret Chael Sonnen has historically been one of Jon Jones’ biggest critics. The two have been in conflict, mostly on social media, for years now. In 2019, shortly after Jones had competed at UFC 232 despite atypical test findings, Sonnen would actually come to Jones’ defense—sort of.
The following article was published on this day three years ago. It is presented to you in its original, unaltered form, courtesy of The MMA News Archives.
[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JANUARY 30, 2019, 3:18 PM]
Headline: Chael Sonnen Says Jon Jones Is Being “Falsely Disparaged”
Author: Jon Fuentes
There has been a ton of controversy surrounding UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. “Bones” has been engulfed in criticism for his drug testing issues over the past several years.
Recently, Jones forced an entire pay-per-view (PPV) event to be moved to a different state. Jones was suspended in 2017 after testing positive for a banned substance. After his suspension was served, he returned last month against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 232.
Initially, the fight was slated to go down from Las Vegas, Nevada. However, Jones again tested positive for traces of the same substance he was suspended for in 2017. It was determined that Jones did not re-ingest anything illegal, but this was instead a pulsing effect. This was not enough for the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) to grant him a license to fight at UFC 232. Thus, the promotion moved the event to California.
Jones defeated Gustafsson via third-round TKO to capture the vacant 205-pound title. Recently, the NSAC granted Jones a conditional one-fight license to defend his title in Vegas on March 2nd. He’ll face Anthony Smith in the main event of UFC 235 from the T-Mobile Arena. One man who knows a thing or two about Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) is Chael Sonnen.
Sonnen has admitted to using PEDs in the past and has served a suspension for doing so. Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast, Sonnen believes Jones is being “falsely disparaged” for having retaken a banned substance (Bloody Elbow):
“I am seeing Jon falsely disparaged for having retaken banned substances. That’s not true. The conclusion and the analysis is accurate that this is residue that is left over,” Sonnen said.
“My conclusion and analysis that he was under-punished …. I’m just a guy looking at the rules that understands that on your second violation, you have a minimum of two years.
“Had they gone through that, we wouldn’t be in this spot (because there would no longer be turinabol residue in his system).
What do you think about Sonnes’s comments on the Jones situation?
Former UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen had all charges dismissed after an alleged hotel brawl in Las Vegas last month.
TMZ Sports was among the first to report the initial news of the charges. Sonnen was given five misdemeanor battery charges after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with a couple at the Four Seasons hotel.
According to witnesses, Sonnen was seen banging on a hotel room door just after 7 p.m. on Saturday. A man opened the door and confronted Sonnen, who then engaged him in a brawl in the hotel. A woman was heard screaming and pleading for help, but it’s unclear if she was also involved in the altercation.
Las Vegas police and local paramedics quickly responded to the scene, escorting Sonnen away in handcuffs. It’s unclear if anyone was treated for injuries when authorities arrived.
It’s also unknown what led up to the altercation between Sonnen and the unidentified man. ESPN was the first to report the news of the charges being dismissed without prejudice, meaning the charges could still be re-filed in the future.
Jon Jones & Brendan Schaub Reacted To Chael Sonnen’s Incident
Following the initial news of Sonnen’s brush with the law, Jon Jones took to social media to address his old rival in a series of tweets. Jones had been arrested for battery in Las Vegas last year after allegedly assaulting his fiancée at Caesar’s Palace. Sonnen voiced his opinion on that matter, which predictably may have rubbed Jones the wrong way.
Chael Sonnen, I’m not gonna sit here and celebrate you getting battery charges against a female last night. That would make me like you, and I’m nothing like you. Instead I will wish your family well, I wish the victims family well
It’s funny how the people who criticize and judge you the most have some of the nastiest things in their closet. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. You’ll get no stones from me. Good luck
“Chael Sonnen, I’m not gonna sit here and celebrate you getting battery charges against a female last night,” Jones said. “That would make me like you, and I’m nothing like you. Instead, I will wish your family well, I wish the victim’s family well.
“It’s funny how the people who criticize and judge you the most have some of the nastiest things in their closet. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. You’ll get no stones from me, good luck.”
Despite Jones’ tweets, there was never any confirmation that the woman was assaulted by Sonnen or if it was solely the male in question.
Chael Sonnen isn’t a fan of Brandon Moreno’s fighting style.
At UC 270, Moreno suffered a decision loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in their trilogy match to lose his flyweight title. For Sonnen, he wasn’t surprised Moreno lost, as he says his style is completely wrong.
“He’s been a complete dud. There is nothing even good about his fighting style except for his offense. Oh boy, is his offense on point,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via PunditArena). “His stance is wrong, his motion is wrong. Do not be an aspiring fighter and go watch Moreno and then go do it.”
Sonnen believes the way Moreno holds his hands was the reason he lost the fight as it allowed Figueiredo to connect on shots that dropped him. Had the Mexican not been dropped, says Sonnen, he would’ve won the fight.
The former UFC title challenger questions Brandon Moreno’s defense and says it is a big issue the Mexican needs to change.
Brandon Moreno
“The son (of a) b***h fights with his hands right here [below his face]. It’s like he’s peaking out from under a blanket just making sure you have all the good stuff to hit. Why not just put your hands down,” Sonnen said of Moreno. “If your hands are not in front of your face, why not just put them down? It’s infuriating to watch but his offense is good, I got to give him that. He’s quick, he’s tough as an old leather boot. There’s a lot of compliments I could give him. But world champion? Come on, man. No.”
With the loss, Moreno drops to 19-6-2 as a pro and never successfully defended his flyweight title. It’s uncertain if he will get an immediate rematch, which would be the fourth fight between him and Figueiredo. If that fight is made once again, Sonnen hopes the Mexican makes a serious change to his style to keep his hands up to avoid Figueiredo’s power shots.
What do you make of Chael Sonnen’s criticism of Brandon Moreno?
Chael Sonnen believes UFC lightweight contender Gregor Gillespie’s frequent inactivity is a product of his own doing.
Since signing with the UFC in 2016, Gillespie has entered the Octagon eight times. In a perfect start to his run in the promotion, “The Gift” went 6-0 during his first two-and-a-half years on MMA’s biggest stage, a record that included five finishes, two of which came over established veterans Vinc Puchel and Yancy Medeiros.
But a run of momentum has never been stopped quite as emphatically as Gillespie’s was. Heading into UFC 244 in 2019, the New York native was 13-0 and tipped to make a run for the 155-pound gold. Going in the opposite direction was Kevin Lee, who was coming off back-to-back losses to Rafael dos Anjos and Al Iaquinta.
Following his first setback in professional MMA, Gillespie wasn’t seen in action for nearly two years. He returned at UFC Vegas 26 last May. With a grueling TKO, the 34-year-old finished divisional veteran Carlos Diego Ferreira in the second round.
But without a fight booked since, it appears it could be close to, or more than, a year in-between fights yet again for the #10-ranked lightweight.
Sonnen Tells Gillespie, “You’re Turning Down Fights”
While the UFC has to offer members of its roster three bouts a year, Gregor Gillespie has fought just twice across the past three years. In the mind of former UFC star-turned-MMA analyst Chael Sonnen, Gillespie’s inactivity is his own fault.
In a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen claimed he’d heard rumors that suggest Gillespie has consistently been turning down fights the promotion offers him. While the 44-year-old admits the claim is just what he’s been told by others, he admitted he believes it to be true.
“Now, I only know about Gregor what I hear about Gregor… But I have heard this about Gregor for three years now, that he will not take fights,” said Sonnen. “The reason you see huge gaps in between Gregor’s last fight and his next fight isn’t because he’s not getting called, it’s not because he’s got a bum shoulder, knee, or ankle. He gets offered the fight and says no. He’s even been threatened in some regards, such as, ‘I can’t bump your money if you don’t take harder fights. ‘Great, don’t bump my money.’ I can’t prove any of these things are true, guys. I’m only confirming for you I have heard this, and I’ve heard this from other people.
“Okay, great, ‘Gregor we can’t put you in the placement of the card we’d like to use you if you’re fighting these kinds of guys. ‘Great, don’t put me on that place of the card.’ ‘Okay, we can’t move you up the rankings. ‘Okay, great, don’t put me up in the rankings. This is what I’ve been told and re-told, and I believe it to be true that Gregor isn’t taking fights.”
Citing Gillespie’s lengthy period of inactivity following his Lee loss and his ongoing spell on the sidelines since his Ferreira victory as evidence, Sonnen suggested there’s little chance “The Gift” is the one fighter not being offered the correct number of contests.
Instead, the former light heavyweight and middleweight contender said the more likely scenario is that Gillespie is attempting to handpick fights such as Tony Ferguson, rather than test himself against the opponents the UFC has placed on his table. When that doesn’t work out, Sonnen says the 155lber has no right to complain.
“Now the one time that he wants a fight and can’t get it, he’s upset, do you see the problem?” Sonnen added. “Now my entire diatribe goes out the window if I’ve been given bad information and Gregor is accepting fights. But I’m gonna have to push back on that and say, why from the time you fought Kevin Lee to your last fight was it a year or more? And why was your last fight in May, and we’re almost in May of this year? Are you the one guy under contract who isn’t owed contractually three fights? No, of course you are. You’re owed three fights; they offered you a fight. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and you’re turning down fights.
“So now all of a sudden you’re chomping at the bit because you’re seeing Tony Ferguson, who everybody knows who he is and you’re even maybe seeing a blueprint within your skills that looks good for Tony Ferguson? I mean, you see the problem?”
While Sonnen didn’t provide any evidence other than Gregor Gillespie’s recent inactivity, a social media post from the 34-year-old’s fellow lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan certainly backs up the claim.
UFC welterweight contender Jorge Masvidal has explained why the likes of Chael Sonnen and Colby Covington engage in personal trash talk.
Masvidal, a two-time 170-pound title challenger, will have the chance to silence Covington when he faces his former teammate at UFC 272 in March. In a rare non-title headliner, the pair of friends-turned-bitter foes will settle their score inside the Octagon at the third pay-per-view of 2022.
“Chaos,” meanwhile, first tasted defeat to Usman in 2019 at UFC 245. After being finished in the final round of what was a tight and competitive affair, Covington earned a rematch with a victory over Tyron Woodley the next year.
Masvidal: Covington Inspires Future Generations To Talk Trash
In both of his challenges for gold, Covington’s trash-talking ways were on full display and included attacks on Usman’s heritage and father. For fighters, fans, and pundits, his words and insults were nothing new.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Masvidal likened Covington’s decision to pursue a controversial, trash-talking persona to that of former two-division title challenger Chael Sonnen. “Gamebred” believes that, like Sonnen, Covington has had to make up for his wrestling-heavy fighting style by resorting to insults and trash talk in order to attract attention.
“It’s kind of like the Chael Sonnen thing,” Masvidal said. “Chael had to be so sh*t-talking because he didn’t have an exciting style for a long time; he was just wrestling guys to death. So he had to do that extra talking and get himself over like that. That influenced guys like Colby — that’s all he does.
“[Covington] has to talk about people’s wives. Like, how f*cking low of a society have we gotten, that’s even acceptable? You’re talking about people’s wives for no reason? Talking about Amanda Nunes’ team? In doing that, he inspires the future generations. So some 12-year-old may be looking at him, thinking, ‘Oh, this is the way to go, to insult a whole nation to get yourself over,’ because you weren’t selling pay-per-views, because you can’t fight, so you have to insult a whole country now.”
While he went on to insist he has no issue with jokes and general trash talk, which he certainly engaged in with Usman prior to UFC 261, Masvidal suggested that when it reaches the level of disrespect Covington often shows, it becomes unnecessary and something he “won’t stand for.”
“It just doesn’t make sense to me. We’re already going to fight as men. We’re going to give it all we have to each other. We don’t have to talk about things like children, women, religion, people’s countries,” added Masvidal. “To make jokes, I think it’s cool to get under somebody’s skin. But to go to that level of disrespect, it’s not — and what’s even worse is that it might inspire future generations to do it. And that I won’t stand for. We’ve got to crush it.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
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Facing Covington won’t be the first time Masvidal has come against a trash-talking wrestler. In 2019, a year that saw “Gamebred” rise from a mid-tier name to an MMA superstar, Masvidal faced former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren.
The now-retired Askren’s attempts to agitate and wind up Masvidal went on right into the Octagon, just seconds before the fight began. But just moments after his final remarks, “Funky” was put to sleep with a memorable flying knee.
Masvidal will hope to “crush” former friend and teammate Covington in a similar fashion on March 5.
Do you agree with Jorge Masvidal? Is the trash talk that the likes of Colby Covington and Chael Sonnen engage in unnecessary?
Chael Sonnen has praised Jorge Masvidal for taking the very risky fight against Colby Covington.
In the main event of UFC 272 on March 5, Masvidal and Covington will finally settle their differences. It’s a highly-anticipated bout as they used to be roommates and close friends; however, they had a massive falling out and have taken shots at one another for years now.
For Sonnen, he says he is surprised “Gamebred” took this fight, as it is a tough matchup for him coming off two losses in a row and with very high stakes.
“In all fairness, I really got to show respect to Masvidal because this is a career-ending fight,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel (via Sportskeeda). “It is that big of a deal, there will be that much attention and that much focus and that much hatred going into this battle. Jorge, who is the second biggest draw in combat [sports] right now who’s coming off of two defeats.
Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington
“If he goes out there and he gets taken down and he gets mauled for 25 minutes, it is going to take a lot of luster off of the shine that is the second biggest draw [in MMA], the BMF, Jorge Masvidal. It’s a big deal and Jorge signed up anyway. God damn, I respect that,” Sonnen concluded.
Jorge Masvidal was a massive star in 2019 as he scored a KO win over Darren Till, the flying knee KO over Ben Askren, and a TKO win over Nate Diaz to win the BMF belt. Since then, however, he has lost two straight to Kamaru Usman for the belt, including the last being by KO, which many viewed as the knockout of the year in 2021.
If Masvidal loses to Covington, it would be three straight and would likely signal the end of his time as a top contender. It would also hurt his damage as a superstar, which is the chief reason Chael Sonnen is praising Gamebred for taking this scrap.
Are you surprised Jorge Masvidal accepted the fight against Colby Covington?
Former UFC star Chael Sonnen thinks he has the recipe for Tommy Fury to get his long-awaited fight with Jake Paul in the boxing ring.
Fury was supposed to face Paul just last month before he had to pull out due to an injury. Paul ended up knocking out Tyron Woodley in the sixth round on short notice.
Paul has appeared to take his attention away from rescheduling a fight with Fury and is instead interested in a fight with Julio César Chávez Jr. Fury is anticipating a return to the ring as soon as March and is hopeful the two sides can agree on a bout in 2022.
Sonnen is a bit more optimistic regarding Fury’s chances at getting a Paul fight booked. During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, he detailed how Fury can earn the attention of Paul and get the fight he wants.
“You wanna know a fight that would work throw Tommy Fury in there with Tyron Woodley,” Sonnen said. “If Tommy can show that he can handle himself with Tyron, then Tommy will belong in there with Jake afterward. The problem with doing that is that Tommy can’t beat Tyron Woodley.
“Tommy would not beat Tyron and if Tommy wouldn’t show up to face Jake because of the pressures that came with that, then it’s going to be even more pressure to fight a guy who Jake has beaten twice. And he wouldn’t show up for that trust me!” (h/t Mirror)
Woodley has alluded to an active 2022, regardless of how his last fight with Paul resulted. Fury is undefeated in his young boxing career despite a questionable run of opponents on his record.
Fury and Woodley don’t seem to have any beef between the two of them, which could potentially make it a hard fight to sell. However, a Fury victory could certainly get the attention necessary for a possible fight with Paul shortly.
After Fury suffered a chest infection and an injured rib, it was believed that he could be sidelined from the ring for a while. Despite this, he’s anticipating a profound return to the ring in hopes of making a Paul fight come to fruition.
Chael Sonnen has responded to Paddy Pimblett accusing him of clickbait after the recent rumors surrounding a possible Donald Cerrone fight.
Pimblett is coming off an impressive UFC debut over Luigi Vendramini in 2021. After a long tenure with Cage Warriors, he made the move to the UFC as arguably the biggest signing by the promotion in recent years.
Speculation has run rampant in recent weeks and months regarding who Pimblett will face next. Some pundits, including Sonnen, have alluded to a possible matchup with Cerrone happening for his next UFC test.
Pimblett ruled out Cerrone being his next opponent in recent days and also accused Sonnen of pushing a false narrative for his next fight. During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Sonnen took exception to Pimblett’s jab.
“Is Paddy secretly one stupid son of a bi**h?” Sonnen said. “Paddy woke up, took stupid pills, and goes on Michael Bisping’s show. On Michael’s show, Paddy accuses me of using his name for clickbait… I’d never do it and I’m also irritated that Paddy thinks his name is big enough that I would clickbait him. That might sound arrogant but that’s the truth. It pissed me off…
“Three weeks ago, I was sitting with Cerrone. He asked me what weight Paddy is. I had beautiful things to say about him. As I’m having this conversation, Cowboy’s texting Sean Shelby saying does Paddy have an opponent. I asked him, ‘Can I talk about this? He said, ‘Yes.’ So that’s what we did.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Paddy Pimblett Pointed To Chael Sonnen For Starting The Rumors
Sonnen has never been unafraid to state what he thinks on a variety of topics, specifically when it comes to MMA. Regarded as one of the best trash talkers in the sport’s history, Sonnen has transitioned well from fighting to a career in broadcasting.
Pimblett and Sonnen will more than likely bump into each other at some point this year, and it’ll be interesting to see if they bury the hatchet and settle their differences.
What are your thoughts on Chael Sonnen’s comments? Who do you want to see Paddy Pimblett fight next?
Chael Sonnen has been impressed by Jake Paul’s young boxing career, and he sees some likenesses to that of former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
Paul is fresh off his sixth-round knockout over another former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, to remain undefeated in the ring. In 2021, he earned back-to-back wins over Woodley along with a vicious knockout of Ben Askren.
There’s no question that Paul has great ambitions in boxing, as evidenced by recent callouts of Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and McGregor. While he has been criticized for his lack of true boxing competition, he seems intent on continuing the ‘MMA vs. Boxing’ storyline.
During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Sonnen explains what he thinks so highly of Paul despite being just a few fights into his boxing career.
“Jake Paul had a crazy idea that he’s going to go into a sport of which he does not belong with no amateur pedigree, no golden gloves, no lineage within the family, like you know, my uncle fought, my grandpa used to box in the Army, nothing like that,” Sonnen said. “He’s going to do well, and he’s going to headline shows with Olympians and world champions on the card. They are going to open. He is going to be the marquee fight. That is ridiculous. He did just that. Jake Paul is calling his own shots the way Conor McGregor used to do when Conor was getting his come up and then he’s seeing them through.”
Chael Sonnen Sees Eerie Parallels Between Jake Paul, Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor, Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Sonnen went on to point out how McGregor used to defy the odds with his fight predictions, which is similar to what Paul is doing now.
“Remember ‘Mystic Mac’ and he had a crystal ball? Conor was not only calling the stoppages, he was calling the rounds. And then once he calls the stoppages and he calls the rounds, he starts calling the technique that he’s going to stop them with. Remember when he was doing that? Jake Paul is doing the same thing.”
McGregor has dabbled into the boxing world once before when he fought Floyd Mayweather back in 2017. Despite losing via TKO, he impressed many with his ability to transition well to another sport.
Paul has claimed that he makes more than McGregor, who topped the Forbes Top 100 list in 2021. He has also teased McGregor on social media and in multiple interviews, and a big-money fight between the two of them may not be far-fetched.
Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen has described the upcoming unification showdown between Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane as the “biggest” and most “compelling” heavyweight fight of all time.
The two behemoths are set to open the UFC’s pay-per-view account for 2022 in style, headlining January 22’s UFC 270 event. When a champion and interim titleholder collide, the stakes are always that much higher. But for this one, they’re through the roof.
Ngannou has held the title since March 2021, when he dethroned Stipe Miocic with a brutal second-round knockout. After being unable to return to the US for an August defence against Derrick Lewis, Gane was drafted in for an interim title clash with “The Black Beast,” much to the fury of Ngannou and his management team.
By dominating Lewis in the UFC 265 main event, Gane set up a blockbuster unification clash with “The Predator,” whom he used to train with at Paris’ MMA Factory gym. The heavyweight landscape will alter one way or another at UFC 270, but it could drastically shift should “Bon Gamin” emerge victorious.
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Sonnen Reveals What Ngannou/Gane Has That No Other HW Fight Did
There are a number of storylines at play heading into the next PPV headliner. While Ngannou’s feud with his former coach and Gane’s current mentor Fernand Lopez is providing a nice narrative, as is the champ’s frustration at the creation of interim gold, chief among them is Ngannou’s current contractual situation.
Discussing the fractious relationship between the promotion and one of its top titleholders in a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen suggested the uncertainty surrounding Ngannou’s future has helped make his clash with Gane the biggest, most interesting, and most compelling heavyweight fight of all time.
“I believe by the time Francis gets in there with Gane, I think when this promotion is done, when we get excited and when we all get told this story over these next three weeks, I think it’s going to be the biggest heavyweight fight of all time. Not the biggest fight of all time. It’s not going to beat UFC 100. It’s not gonna beat a Conor McGregor (fight). I think it’s going to be the biggest heavyweight fight of all time.
“It is, for sure, the most interesting. It is, for sure, the most compelling. It, for sure, comes with the most at stake here. Where Francis’ contract stands and what Francis wants to do within the organization as the champion, whether he wins or he loses, he brings those pressures with him. That story alone is better than any heavyweight story I’ve ever been told, and I’m not even starting the story of this fight… I submit to you that no other heavyweight fight has ever gone off in this particular situation, where the heavyweight champion himself, is looking to fulfil a contract and say, ‘Adios.’ The pressure that comes with that alone is more compelling than any other heavyweight fight we’ve had.”
Despite White’s latest remarks, it appears things are far from being sorted with regards to Ngannou’s contract. With all the factors at play leading up to UFC 270, the main event and the aftermath of it is set to be an intriguing affair.
Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Is Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane the biggest and most compelling heavyweight fight of all time?
UFC light heavyweight, Anthony Smith doesn’t buy the recent allegations made against Chael Sonnen.
Recently, Sonnen was hit with five battery citations after allegedly being a part of a hotel brawl in Las Vegas. TMZ Sports reported that Sonnen was detained but was ultimately not arrested because cops didn’t personally witness the alleged incident. Nevertheless, he still was given five misdemeanor battery citations, and the police are still investigating the incident.
Since the initial report, there haven’t been many details about Sonnen’s case aside from Brendan Schaub’s version of events, but for Anthony Smith, he doesn’t buy into the idea that Sonnen would suddenly beat up five people in a hotel. Generally speaking, he doesn’t think Sonnen would be that type of person. So until the entire facts come out, “Lionheart” admits it is hard to believe what was reported (h/t Sportskeeda).
“I do think that it would be really hard for me to believe like Chael Sonnen beat up five people. Listening to the Jon Jones situation, I have never commented on his personal struggles or whatever,” Smith said on Karyn Bryant’s YouTube channel. “But at this point, he has not earned or deserved the benefit of the doubt.
Image Credit: Fernando Quiles Jr., MMA News
“I think at this point in Chael’s life, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt at least. It is just not his nature… I don’t know the full story but Chael is not that type of guy. You can’t even get the dude to look up from his phone half the time. He’s so chill and so calm and you can’t get him riled up easily.”
Because Sonnen was not arrested, as of right now, there does not appear to be anything major that could come down against the UFC legend. Therefore, as Smith says, it is hard to really form an evidence-based opinion, as there isn’t a ton of details on the case available at the moment.
Anthony Smith is currently ranked #4 in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. He most recently defeated Ryan Spann in September and is currently awaiting word on his next opponent.
Do you agree with Anthony Smith that the allegations against Chael Sonnen are hard to believe?
Podcaster and former UFC fighter Brendan Schaub claims Chael Sonnen’s recent Las Vegas incident stemmed from his wife being harassed.
Sonnen was detained by Las Vegas Police over the weekend and cited for allegedly assaulting five different victims at a hotel. According to eyewitnesses, he was escorted in handcuffs after getting into a brawl with a man outside of a hotel room.
Schaub allegedly spoke with Sonnen directly following the incident and revealed his side of the story during a recent segment on his Below the Belt podcast.
“Here’s what happened. Is Chael was obviously working and he was with his wife and his wife is a f*cking saint and also a dime piece,” Schaub said. “And some drunk guy with his girl kept making comments about his wife, saying about her t**s, her a**, right in front of him. Well, play stupid games, win stupid prizes, cause you are talking and disrespecting one of the toughest guys on the planet and definitely one of the toughest ever to compete in the UFC or Bellator for that matter. And you’re doing it in front of his face, then there’s gonna be repercussions. And any guy that wanted to do that for their girl/ladies you got a girlfriend.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Brendan Schaub Blasted Jon Jones For Attacking Chael Sonnen
Photos via Instagram @brendanschaub @jonnnybones
After news broke of Sonnen’s battery detainment, former UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones wrote a message on his Twitter page aimed at his old rival. Sonnen has criticized Jones on a variety of topics for years, most recently after his Las Vegas arrest for allegedly battering his fiancée in a hotel room.
Schaub took the time to address Jones’ criticism and compare the two incidents.
“So I think by Chael doing this, it just adds to the legend of Chael Sonnen,” Schaub continued. “He was protecting his girl. And for that dumbass who got absolutely annihilated by the great Chael Sonnen, you deserved it, man. And that’s what you get. So you play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
“This is not a case of Chael hitting his wife like Jon [Jones] did. I think they dropped the charges. This is not a case of Chael Sonnen being high and wrecking his Bentley with strippers in the car. This is not the case of Chael/domestic violence in any facet. And I think everyone should hold their judgment to get more details.”
Sonnen is widely regarded as one of the best ambassadors in MMA today. After retiring from fighting following an up-and-down tenure in Bellator, he has transitioned to the media business with multiple ESPN shows and his own YouTube podcast.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
What are your thoughts on Brendan Schaub’s take on the recent Chael Sonnen incident?
Former two-division UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Amanda Nunes’ shocking defeat to Julianna Peña was a “mental beating,” not a physical one.
In one of the biggest upsets in UFC history, Peña secured her place on the bantamweight throne in the final pay-per-view co-main event of the year this past weekend. Heading into the contest, Nunes was unbeaten since 2014, held both the 135-pound and 145-pound titles, and had defeated the likes of Valentina Shevchenko, Cris Cyborg, and Holly Holm across a 12-fight win streak.
Peña, meanwhile, was 2-2 in her last four fights after suffering defeats to Shevchenko and Germain de Randamie. Nevertheless, “The Venezuelan Vixen” boasted unwavering confidence throughout fight week, something that crossed over into the octagon on Saturday night.
After dropping the opening round, Peña came out in the second ready to shock the world. Taking the attack to the “Lioness” on the feet like nobody before her, the 32-year-old rocked the Brazilian and wore her out. After dragging her to the mat with ease, Peña forced the tap in seconds with a rear-naked choke.
With his prediction ringing true, Sonnen has discussed the incredible result. The analyst suggested Nunes “quit” against Peña, who he doesn’t believe was in a position where she should have been able to secure a victory at the time.
“I got to tell you man, that was a different fight. We’ve seen upsets before… If you take Mike Tyson vs. Buster Douglas, where Mike is trying to get up and he just can’t beat the count or when Ronda Rousey got her head kicked into the third row but she didn’t want it to happen. This was totally different. Amanda flicked it. That was 100% mental beating, zero percent physical. That submission wasn’t there… That was not a move, that was absolutely not a fighting technique. Julianna was in a terrible position and Amanda quit!” (h/t Sportskeeda)
Off the back of one of the most remarkable underdog successes in the promotion’s history, talk has now turned to what the future holds for both the newly crowned bantamweight queen and the fallen “Lioness.”
If either of those happen, Nunes would seemingly look to defend her featherweight title. Whilst a super-fight with two-time PFL champion Kayla Harrison has likely lost some momentum as a result of Nunes’ defeat, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan or pundit not interested in seeing the two teammates collide still.
Do you agree with Chael Sonnen? Did Amanda Nunes quit at UFC 269?
