Chael Sonnen **Thread**

El Guapo!

I don't think mma is in danger of turning into WWE but if someone new to mma tuned in and the first person they saw was Sonnen during one of his WWE-esque ramblings it might put them off.

Trash talking is all well and good but some of the stuff he does is just cringe worthy. And I know it's all tongue in cheek but it's starting to annoy me now.

Some of his stuff is priceless though and he comes out with a few gems every now and then.

MrStuffins

Dean09 wrote: »

I don't think mma is in danger of turning into WWE but if someone new to mma tuned in and the first person they saw was Sonnen during one of his WWE-esque ramblings it might put them off.

This could work the other way too. Should someone tune in with a passing interest, Chael might be the guy to pull them in!

El Guapo!

MrStuffins wrote: »

This could work the other way too. Should someone tune in with a passing interest, Chael might be the guy to pull them in!

Good point.
Never looked at it that way!

scudzilla

Give me Chael anyday over someone like GSP who has the personality of an arse wart

cian68

I guess I should put this in spoilers because it is a 141 result but he just tweeted

brock got robbed

themandan6611

His latest tweet .. :D

I've grown skeptical of a sport that tolerates the type of injustice that Brock faced tonight. So, I am retiring.

dave1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0dUWyVDoL0

stealinhorses

Chael should beat GSP, Silva and Jones and unify the three belts into one big Chael Sonnen weight class championship.

scudzilla

stealinhorses wrote: »

Chael should beat GSP, Silva and Jones and unify the three belts into one big Chael Sonnen weight class championship.

Ah Christ, don't be giving him ideas!!!

MrStuffins

stealinhorses wrote: »

Chael should beat GSP, Silva and Jones and unify the three belts into one big Chael Sonnen weight class championship.

He'd beat them all in one night, at the same time, with one hand behind his back and the other hand using a mobile phone so he can do a play by play of his own fight, in a hispanic accent, on the Jim Rome show

Dermighty

MrStuffins wrote: »

He'd beat them all in one night, at the same time, with one hand behind his back and the other hand using a mobile phone so he can do a play by play of his own fight, in a hispanic accent, on the Jim Rome show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HNgqQVHI_8

Chael Sonnen is the most interesting guy in UFC at the moment. I enjoy all his fights, whether he wins or loses.

El Guapo!

Apparently Sonnen is gonna walk out with CM Punk at his fight against Munoz.

He must be setting himself up for a career in the WWE incase his mma career goes down the tubes!

I really can't stand pro wrestling and I hate the way the line between mma and wrestling is becoming blurred lately.
I know a lot of people love it but I'd hate for mma to go down the wwe route.

I'm really starting to dislike Sonnen and I hope Munoz destroys him.

A good segment of the MMA universe hates professional wrestling to no end. Any links between the two (see Brock Lesnar) are dismissed and disregarded by this segment quickly and with vitriol. One of the founders of this very site has gone on record with how much he dislikes the use of wrestling terms when discussing MMA.
Those people will then hate the news that came out Wednesday that WWE Champion and MMA enthusiast CM Punk will walk out with Chael Sonnen in his UFC On Fox 2 middleweight contender's match against Mark Munoz on Saturday, January 28.
Sonnen confirmed the news Tuesday, according to MMA/pro wrestling expert Dave Meltzer. MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani confirmed that Punk will not corner Sonnen during the fight.
The news again puts the spotlight on the informal partnership of sorts between the WWE and the UFC that has existed for years. Steve Austin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, The Undertaker (Mark Calloway) and Dave Batista have all regularly attended UFC events with a famous post-fight staredown between Calloway and Lesnar during an Helwani interview making headlines in both industries.
Lesnar himself successfully made the jump to MMA after leaving WWE in 2004, while Batista was in talks with pre-Zuffa Strikeforce until last year. Former WWE standout Bobby Lashley has competed in Strikeforce and on the regional circuit for several years with varying success. In 2011, Dana White famously visited WWE chairman Vince McMahon in Stamford, CT, but didn't go into details about what and why.
Punk (Phil Brooks) appeared on the 100th edition of The MMA Hour with Helwani and is from Chicago. Meltzer said that Punk was taken off a WWE house show event that night, meaning they had to grant him permission to appear at the UFC event. Sonnen is known for his "wrestling style" promos and did a tryout at World Championship Wrestling's Power Plant training facility after graduating college

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/1/4/2682566/chael-sonnen-ufc-on-fox-2-wwe-champion-cm-punk-walk-out-chicago

JJayoo

Can't understand this attitude. Professional wrestling has pretty much been a breeding ground for fans of mma, and mma's ability to use the pro wrestling format of building story lines and showcasing fighters away from the octagon is a reason for its success.

Pointless to have this "oh you watch wwe, what a loser, I'm cool I watch mma" attitude.

dave1982

JJayoo wrote: »

Pointless to have this "oh you watch wwe, what a loser, I'm cool I watch mma" attitude.

Exactly, not that i watch WWE , i did years ago until i stumbled across MMA

El Guapo!

JJayoo wrote: »

Pointless to have this "oh you watch wwe, what a loser, I'm cool I watch mma" attitude.

I don't have that attitude at all.
Personally I don't like pro wrestling. Even as a kid I was never too keen on it. But I know it has a massive fan base and I'd never knock anybody for liking it. Just the same as cricket isn't my cup of tea but people still enjoy it. Different strokes and all that.

My only problem is that I hope it doesn't head down the route of wwe with fake rivalries and over the top acting just to boost ratings. The way Sonnen is doing it really is wwe-esque. Some of it can be funny but he goes over the top. And I wouldn't want the trash talking and ott stuff to take away from the actual fights, which is what's important in mma and is what sets it apart from other sports.
I'd hate for it to be turned into a soap opera with a few fights thrown in. I realise that genuine rivalries are a great thing in the sport and there's nothing like the excitement and build up to a fight knowing 2 guys hate each other and you know it's gonna be a cracking fight, but I'd hate for these rivalries to be made up and badly acted just to boost ratings.
All I'm waiting for is for Sonnen to hit somebody with a steel chair and a bin!

Richy06

You really, really want to see Munoz smash Sonnen then? Well, to him, that's his job done!

El Guapo!

Richy06 wrote: »

You really, really want to see Munoz smash Sonnen then? Well, to him, that's his job done!

Yep. I realise that's probably what he wants. He wants as many people to tune in and he doesn't care if he's liked or hated.
That's not whats annoying me though. I've tuned in to plenty of fights and rooted against someone I dislike. It's just the whole bad acting, over the top calling out of people that's done in a real pro-wrestling fashion that gets me.

Richy06

And that's what's made him a star, as well as his performance against Silva. Before, who really give much of a **** about Chael Sonnen? Now, he's one of the top guys. His bank balance is a lot better off for it and with the news that if he makes it through Munoz then he'll get a rematch in a football stadium in Brazil for the title....I think he's done well for himself. He had the noggin to realise that for all the physical gifts he may have, if he was boring then he'd be stuck in Fitchland. So he made a persona for himself that has carried him to heights he might not have dreamed were attainable before. Whether you and I or anyone like it or not, MMA is not your average sport. It's not JUST the best in the world that make the best money. The UFC have basically used the WWE's business model since Zuffa took over - using big personalities to sell PPVs and TV and to push their brand. Pro Wrestling and MMA are much closer bedfellows then many are comfortable with and have been and will be for a while. It's no new phenomenon.

Jimmy Bottlehead

I'd agree completely with Richy06 & JJayoo - Dean09, whether you like him or hate him, even you have shown that you've an interest in Chael Sonnen. And people are more likely to buy or watch PPV's if they're interested in the fighters.

I don't see the line being blurred between MMA and professional wrestling.
They're very different animals - MMA is a sport, while pro wrestling is a form of entertainment/drama, with a very high level of athleticism involved.

In general, MMA fighters aren't very interesting on the microphone (with a few exceptions), while a lot of pro wrestlers are.
Also in general, MMA fighters would be better athletes than pro wrestlers (though there are exceptions).

The reason Chael gets the pro wrestling comparison is because when a microphone is stuck in front of his face, he is MONEY. He can talk his arse off, be witty, entertaining, and yet at the end of the day, he can back it up in the cage.

There's not many fighters with their own dedicated thread on here, and it says a lot that Chael is one of those guys.

Richy06

See Volkmann's post fight for how NOT to do what Sonnen does also.

One last thing - it's not today's pro wrestling that Chael draws from, it's guys like Ric Flair and Roddy Piper. Today's guys are muscle bound freaks who are told what to say. It was a little more creative back in the day. It tended to be an extension of their personalities or certain traits within themselves blown up in proportion.

Stephen_King

Richy06 wrote: »

His bank balance is a lot better off for it and with the news that if he makes it through Munoz then he'll get a rematch in a football stadium in Brazil for the title....I think he's done well for himself.

I'm like Sonnen, but I think if the UFC are crazy enough to give him a title fight in a football stadium, in Brazil, I don't think he'll last long enough to 'do well for himself' even if he beats Silva

Richy06

He's gonna need to borrow the Batmobile, let along the ****in' Pope Mobile!

MrStuffins

I understand where they're coming from, but I think those who are afraid of MMA becoming WWE are massively jumping the gun.

Chael Sonnen is ONE guy! He's the only guy really doing this and trash-talk has existed in all sports since the dawn of time. Sure look at Boxing.

Also, let's not fall into the trap of thinking Sonnen got where he is today by running his mouth. A lot of people might think so but that's not the case. The guy is a 2 time WEC title challenger, was the first guy to beat Paulo Filho (who was considered #2 in the world at the time) and he earned his title shot by beating Okami and then Marquart to become No.1 contender. He then went and backed himself up by dominating against the champion.

MMA isn't turning into WWE at all, 1 organisation has 1 guy whose a bit nuts and likes winding people up that's all! No big deal!

By the way, it's funny how there's so much emphasis on Chael and using him as an example of how the line between MMA and Pro Wrestling is blurred............ but then DREAM actually have Pro Wrestling bouts featurung MMA fighters........... not a dickie bird :-P

The Bored One

In fairness, Pro-wrestling has always had very strong ties to MMA in Japan. I think its just accepted as par for the course there, and ties in perfectly with the attitude of spectacle and showmanship there.
Whereas with the UFC they have the issue of their attempts at re-branding themselves. In comparison to the whole fight club vibe that was used in early marketing, they've been trying to portray the sport as something alot more professional. Balancing that with the promotional side of things is a fine line.
Its taken a long time to get the sport actually recognized as one, so its understandable that people would be wary of anything that could take away from that.
Hell there's still plenty of resistance to it as a sport in alot of places.

MrStuffins

The Bored One wrote: »

In fairness, Pro-wrestling has always had very strong ties to MMA in Japan. I think its just accepted as par for the course there, and ties in perfectly with the attitude of spectacle and showmanship there.
Whereas with the UFC they have the issue of their attempts at re-branding themselves. In comparison to the whole fight club vibe that was used in early marketing, they've been trying to portray the sport as something alot more professional. Balancing that with the promotional side of things is a fine line.
Its taken a long time to get the sport actually recognized as one, so its understandable that people would be wary of anything that could take away from that.
Hell there's still plenty of resistance to it as a sport in alot of places.

But how would Chael Sonnen talking trash and arbitrarily attributing that to a line with Pro-Wrestling take away from it being viewed as a sport? Surely one just has to watch it to see it's a sport. Anyone who would let a Sonnen rant overcome their witnessing the competitive nature of MMA upon viewing would need to be ever so slightly retarted

El Guapo!

I think my point is being mis-interpreted here. I didn't really explain it well.
I have no problem with trash talking and building up a fight. That sort of stuff goes hand in hand with the sport.
My only real worry is that it'll end up like wwe where there's more of a "made up" storyline and the focus is on that rather than the fights themselves. And I worry that fighters will only be used based on their marketability rather than actual fighting talent.
And I do realise that it's only Sonnen doing this and he's just one guy, but what if more fighters see this as a way to be recognised and talk themselves into big fights all the time and we end up with a lot of big personalities rather than fighting talent.

RoboRat

Need to find that photo of Rick Flair and I shouting Wooooooooooooooo in Brown Thomas. Priceless!

MrStuffins

Dean09 wrote: »

I think my point is being mis-interpreted here. I didn't really explain it well.
I have no problem with trash talking and building up a fight. That sort of stuff goes hand in hand with the sport.
My only real worry is that it'll end up like wwe where there's more of a "made up" storyline and the focus is on that rather than the fights themselves. And I worry that fighters will only be used based on their marketability rather than actual fighting talent.
And I do realise that it's only Sonnen doing this and he's just one guy, but what if more fighters see this as a way to be recognised and talk themselves into big fights all the time and we end up with a lot of big personalities rather than fighting talent.

Well this will happen anyway, after all, it's a business.

The thing is, a balance always has to be struck! They need to sell PPVs, so they put Brock Lesnar v Randy Couture in there for the HW title. Did he deserve it at the time, it'd be hard to find many people who would say yes. But that was a business decision. Just like when Jon Fitch goes 22-1 and STILL doesn't get his 2nd shot at GSP! Why? Because having Jon Fitch in Main events or even as Champion would be a disaster for the business.

In the case of Chael, he earned his shot and continues to do so. I don't think MMA will become Pro-Wrestling but, again, business is business and sometimes these situations occur.

El Guapo!

That's a fair point.
I just would rather see people get the big fights on their fighting merit rather than whether or not they have big personalities.
I suppose it's unavoidable really. Business is business as you say.
Interesting you mention Jon Fitch, I think in a recent interview he said he was worried too about the influence of wwe on the mma world.

MrStuffins

Dean09 wrote: »

That's a fair point.
I just would rather see people get the big fights on their fighting merit rather than whether or not they have big personalities.
I suppose it's unavoidable really. Business is business as you say.
Interesting you mention Jon Fitch, I think in a recent interview he said he was worried too about the influence of wwe on the mma world.

He was and this was what he was talking about, big personalities getting shots and guys like him being left behind.

I feel sorry for him because I think he's earned it time and time again but he's just not an exciting fighter. Ariel Helwani asked Dana about it and Dana said it out straight, nobody looks forward to seeing Jon Fitch fight, he's a boring fighter and he needs to take that on board.