Chael Patrick Sonnen (; born April 3, 1977)
is an American
submission grappling promoter,
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
(MMA)
analyst, and retired
mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incorpo ...
. Beginning his MMA career in 1997, Sonnen competed for the
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
(UFC), where he became a top contender in both the
light heavyweight and
middleweight divisions and challenged for both the
UFC Light Heavyweight and
UFC Middleweight Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
s. Sonnen has also fought in
World Extreme Cagefighting
World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) was an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion founded in 2001. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was mad ...
,
Pancrase
Pancrase Inc. is a mixed martial arts promotion company founded in Japan in 1993 by professional wrestlers Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki.
The name was based on pankration, a fighting sport in the Ancient Olympic Games. Suzuki and Funaki pr ...
, and most recently for
Bellator MMA. Sonnen is often considered one of the best mixed martial artists never to have won a major MMA world championship and one of the sport's greatest
trash-talk
Trash talk is a form of insult usually found in sports events, although it is not exclusive to sports or similarly characterized events. It is often used to intimidate the opposition and/or make them less confident in their abilities as to win e ...
ers.
In 2014, Sonnen began working as a MMA analyst for
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
and two years later, in July 2016, founded Submission Underground (SUG), his own submission grappling promotion.
Early life
Sonnen was born in either
Milwaukie, Oregon
Milwaukie is a city mostly in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States; a very small portion of the city extends into Multnomah County. The population was 20,291 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1847 on the banks of the Willamette River, the ci ...
, or
West Linn, Oregon
West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A southern suburb within the Portland metropolitan area, West Linn developed on the site of the former Linn City, which was named after U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Ste. Genevie ...
(sources differ), and began wrestling at the age of nine. He attended
West Linn High School
West Linn High School is a public high school in West Linn, Oregon, United States. It is one of two high schools in the West Linn-Wilsonville School District, the other being Wilsonville High School.
Academics
In 1984, West Linn High School wa ...
, where he was a state runner-up. In 1996, Sonnen began training in boxing, with the hope of competing in the UFC upon graduating from high school.
After high school, Sonnen attended
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d ...
before transferring to the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
in Eugene,
when BYU began considering cutting their wrestling program. At Oregon, Sonnen earned
All-American honors, was a two-time
PAC-10 runner-up, was a silver medalist at the 2000 Greco-Roman World University Championships, and was a two-time
Dave Schultz Memorial International Greco-Roman winner. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2001,
with a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...
degree in sociology.
A lifelong fan, Sonnen had an interest in pursuing a career in
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
, and he attended a try out for
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. (WCW) was an American professional wrestling promotion founded by Ted Turner in 1988, after Turner Broadcasting System, through a subsidiary named Universal Wrestling Corporation, purchased the assets of Nati ...
at the
WCW Power Plant
The WCW Power Plant was a professional wrestling school in Atlanta, Georgia, owned and operated by World Championship Wrestling (WCW).
The school was founded by wrestler Jody Hamilton, who opened the training center in 1989 in Lovejoy, Georgia ...
in the summer of 1998.
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Sonnen started his mixed martial arts career in 1997 at the age of 19, by defeating Ben Hailey in
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 190,915 as of the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Was ...
. He next defeated future ICON Sport Middleweight Champion and
Strikeforce Middleweight contender
Jason "Mayhem" Miller
Jason Nicholas Miller (born December 24, 1980) best known as Mayhem Miller is an American mixed martial arts fighter and TV host. Miller coaches fighters in Irvine, California at Mayhem Martial Arts and has trained extensively with Kings MMA in ...
. He won his first six fights, before losing to
Trevor Prangley
Trevor Prangley (born 24 August 1972) is a South African mixed martial artist. He has fought in the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Dream, King of the Cage, MFC, the SFL, Shark Fights, and Bodog Fight. He competed in the Middleweight and Light ...
. In late 2003, he was submitted by future
Ultimate Fighter winner and
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013 and currently serves as the Vice President of Athlete Development at the ...
with a
triangle choke submission.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Sonnen made his UFC debut in a Light Heavyweight bout against former IFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Renato Sobral
Renato da Cunha Sobral (; born 7 September 1975), also known as "Babalu", is a retired Brazilian Luta Livre submission grappler, mixed martial artist, and was the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral previously fought in the Ult ...
at
UFC 55
''UFC 55: Fury'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 7, 2005 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, and later releas ...
, submitting to a second-round triangle choke. He then avenged his first loss, by winning a
unanimous decision
A unanimous decision (UD) is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and other sports involving striking and submission in which all three judges agree on which fighte ...
over
Trevor Prangley
Trevor Prangley (born 24 August 1972) is a South African mixed martial artist. He has fought in the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Dream, King of the Cage, MFC, the SFL, Shark Fights, and Bodog Fight. He competed in the Middleweight and Light ...
at
UFC Ultimate Fight Night 4. At
UFC 60
''UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 27, 2006. The event took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United S ...
, he fought
Jeremy Horn
Jeremy Graham Horn (born August 25, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist. Horn is best known for fighting in smaller American promotions, he has also competed in some of the premiere mixed martial arts organizations around the world, inclu ...
for the third time and submitted to an
armbar
An armlock in grappling is a single or double joint lock that Anatomical terms of motion#General motion, hyperextends, hyperflexes or hyperrotates the elbow, elbow joint or glenohumeral joint, shoulder joint. An armlock that hyper-extends the ...
. Shortly after, he was released from the UFC.
Bodog Fight
In May 2006, Sonnen debuted for Bodog Fight, defeating
Tim Credeur
Timothy Wallace Credeur II (born July 9, 1977) is a retired American mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of Spike TV's '' The Ultimate Fighter 7'' and was defeated by fellow cast member Jesse Taylor in the semi-finals. He was then brought ...
via TKO. He went on to win a unanimous decision over
Alexey Oleinik, defeat
Tim McKenzie
Tim McKenzie (born July 21, 1982) is a retired American professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2001 until 2011, he fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting, Pancrase, and Tachi Palace F ...
in 13 seconds with a D'arce choke, and finish UFC and
PRIDE
Pride is defined by Merriam-Webster as "reasonable self-esteem" or "confidence and satisfaction in oneself". A healthy amount of pride is good, however, pride sometimes is used interchangeably with "conceit" or "arrogance" (among other words) w ...
veteran
Amar Suloev
Amar Suloev (January 7, 1976 – June 27, 2016) was a Russian mixed martial artist. Following his mixed martial arts career, Suloev became involved in the world of organized crime and was arrested and accused of being a contract killer. He died o ...
via TKO. After leaving Bodog, Sonnen defeated future ''
Ultimate Fighter'' member
Kyacey Uscola at SuperFight 20: Homecoming.
World Extreme Cagefighting
In December 2007, Sonnen fought
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho (; born May 24, 1978), is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist who last competed in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor from 2000 until 2014, Fil ...
for the
WEC Middleweight Championship. Sonnen lost via a controversial submission at 4:55 of the second round. Sonnen did not tap out but screamed in pain, which the referee interpreted as a verbal submission. In his post-fight interview, Sonnen said he told the referee not to stop the fight, and continually said "No" when the referee asked if he wanted to submit. Keith Kizer, executive director of the
Nevada State Athletic Commission
The Nevada State Athletic Commission (also known as the Nevada Athletic Commission or NSAC) regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of Nevada, including licensure and supervision of promoters, boxers, kickboxers ...
, claimed Sonnen only yelled "No" after the referee stopped the fight. Kizer and
Dana White
Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization. In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 milli ...
(who was watching ringside) both agreed with the call.
A rematch was scheduled for March 26, 2008, but was cancelled after Filho entered a drug rehabilitation program. Sonnen instead faced undefeated contender
Bryan Baker and dominated him for three rounds to win a unanimous decision (30–26, 30–25, and 30–25). Sonnen and Filho eventually met again on November 5, 2008. Filho appeared distracted through out the bout, and Sonnen took advantage winning all three rounds to win the fight via uanimous decision. Prior to the fight, Filho weighed in almost seven pounds over the 185-pound limit, so the bout was ruled a non-title match. After Filho lost, he announced he would ship Sonnen the championship belt.
Return to the UFC
Following the dissolution of
WEC's
middleweight division, Sonnen returned to the UFC.
In his first fight for the promotion since
UFC 60
''UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 27, 2006. The event took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United S ...
, he was submitted by
jiu-jitsu
Jujutsu ( ; ja, link=no, 柔術 , ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat (unarmed or with a minor weapon) that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdu ...
ace
Demian Maia
Demian Maia (born 6 November 1977) is a Brazilian professional submission grappler and mixed martial artist. He competed in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Maia is regarded as one ...
via triangle choke submission at
UFC 95
''UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on February 21, 2009 at The O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom.
Background
The event was broadcast live for viewers in Europe and ...
.
At
UFC 98
''UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
A title unification match between the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir and U ...
in May 2009, Sonnen defeated
Dan Miller via unanimous decision. He was a late replacement for
Yushin Okami
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2002, Okami has competed for the UFC, PRIDE, Pancrase, M-1 Global, World Series of Fighting, DEEP, Professional Fighters League, and ONE Championship.
Mixed martial arts ...
, who tore ligament while training. He took the fight on 22 days' notice, and lost in order to compete.
In his next fight, at
UFC 104
''UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on October 24, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
Background
As with UFC 103, the UFC announced a portion of the preliminary card would ...
, Sonnen outwrestled Okami for a unanimous decision victory.
Sonnen was expected to face
Nate Marquardt
Nathan Joel Marquardt (born April 20, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the middleweight and welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 1999, he is a former Strikeforce W ...
at
UFC 110
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
, but the fight was moved to
UFC 109
''UFC 109: Relentless'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on February 6, 2010, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
A previously rumoured bout between Renzo Gracie and ...
on February 6. Sonnen won a unanimous decision, after escaping two deep
guillotine choke
The guillotine choke, also known as Mae Hadaka Jime (前裸絞, "front naked choke"; compare to a rear naked choke) in judo, is a chokehold in martial arts applied from in front of the opponent, often on the ground but can also be done while stan ...
s in the first and third rounds. With the victory, Sonnen became the number one contender for the
UFC Middleweight Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
.
Silva vs. Sonnen
At
UFC 117
''UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States.
Background
UFC President Dana White announced via ESPN on Jim Ro ...
on August 7, 2010, Sonnen challenged
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...
for the UFC Middleweight Championship. Sonnen had
trash talk
Trash talk is a form of insult usually found in sports events, although it is not exclusive to sports or similarly characterized events. It is often used to intimidate the opposition and/or make them less confident in their abilities as to win e ...
ed to hype the fight, stating he was going to retire Silva. Sonnen put on a dominant performance, stunning Silva early with his boxing, and then dominating the fight with his wrestling, heading into the fifth round, Sonnen was ahead on the judges' scorecards (40–34, 40–36, and 40–35). At 3:10 into the final round, Silva caught Sonnen in a triangle armbar and made him tap out. In a later interview, Sonnen stated it was the choke, not the armbar, that made him submit. The fight earned both fighters Fight of the Night honors, and was considered to be the best fight of the year by many critics. The fight was later awarded 'Fight of the Year' by World MMA Awards.
CSAC suspensions and appeals
Urinalysis
Urinalysis, a portmanteau of the words ''urine'' and ''analysis'', is a panel of medical tests that includes physical (macroscopic) examination of the urine, chemical evaluation using urine test strips, and microscopic examination. Macroscopic ...
conducted after his loss to
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...
showed Sonnen had an unallowably high testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio of 16.9:1 at the time of the fight. An average man has a T/E ratio of 1:1, and testing bodies may allow a ratio as high as 4:1 for athletes undergoing TRT treatment. In other words, Sonnen's T/E ratio was nearly 17 times than a normal man's and over four times the allowed maximum for an athlete. He was fined $2,500 and suspended for one year (until September 2, 2011) by the
California State Athletic Commission
The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) regulates amateur and professional boxing, amateur and professional kickboxing and professional mixed martial arts (MMA) throughout the State by licensing all participants and supervising the events. ...
(CSAC). His scheduled rematch with Silva was subsequently cancelled.
Initial appeal
Sonnen appealed the CSAC's decision. The hearing was held on December 2, 2010. The principal grounds of his appeal were that he had a medical justification for taking testosterone, and he believed he had taken the necessary steps to disclose the condition and its treatment to the CSAC. He testified he had been diagnosed with
hypogonadism
Hypogonadism means diminished functional activity of the gonads—the testes or the ovaries—that may result in diminished production of sex hormones. Low androgen (e.g., testosterone) levels are referred to as hypoandrogenism and low estroge ...
in 2008 and was undergoing
testosterone replacement therapy
Androgen replacement therapy (ART), often referred to as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is a form of hormone therapy in which androgens, often testosterone, are supplemented or replaced exogenously ...
(TRT), self-injecting synthetic testosterone two times a week.
Sonnen's physician, Dr. Mark Czarnecki, was present at the hearing and attested to these claims.
In his sworn testimony, Sonnen claimed to have been previously approved for TRT by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), and to have spoken directly to NSAC's Executive Director, Keith Kizer, who informed him he was approved for TRT and should not again disclose the treatment on the pre-bout medical disclosure statements required by the NSAC.
He said he believed this advice about disclosure also applied to the forms of other state athletic commissions.
He said he had previously disclosed his condition to the CSAC before his UFC 104 bout with Yushin Okami, which took place in Los Angeles on October 24, 2009. Based on his testimony, the CSAC voted to recharacterize Sonnen's transgression as a failure to properly disclose a medical treatment, and correspondingly reduced his suspension from twelve months to six, ending March 2, 2011.
Keith Kizer publicly responded to Sonnen's testimony, claiming the NSAC had never approved Sonnen for TRT, Sonnen had never applied for the approval process, and he had "never talked to Chael Sonnen in
islife."
At a subsequent meeting between the UFC, Sonnen and the NSAC, Kizer asked Sonnen about his testimony at the December 2, 2010, CSAC hearing. According to Kizer, Sonnen initially deflected his questions but, when pressed further, admitted no conversation between Kizer and himself had occurred. Sonnen explained "My manager and you talked about therapeutic exemptions, and therefore, I just used the wrong word. I should have said 'my' instead of 'I.' As in 'my manager' instead of 'I'". Kizer called this a "strange story" and a "ridiculous explanation" Kizer acknowledged speaking with Sonnen's manager (
Matt Lindland
Matthew James Lindland (born May 17, 1970), also known as The Law, is an American retired mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler, speaker, actor, coach, entrepreneur and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for t ...
) about TRT, but said the conversation concerned only the procedure itself, not the application of any particular fighter.
CSAC Executive Director George Dodd has also contradicted Sonnen's testimony, stating the CSAC has no documentary evidence of Sonnen ever being approved for TRT.
Subsequent suspension by CSAC
Sonnen's abbreviated CSAC suspension expired on March 2, 2011. However, in the third week of April 2011, the CSAC announced it had reversed its decision to lower his sentence, and had placed him on indefinite administrative suspension due to his conviction for money laundering (see below) and his possibly false testimony during the hearing of December 2, 2010.
Sonnen appeared before the CSAC on May 18, 2011, requesting the suspension be lifted. After hearing testimony from Keith Kizer via streaming video, as well as from Sonnen and his supporters, the CSAC voted 4–1 to uphold the suspension. Two days later, the CSAC clarified that the applicable regulations only allowed Sonnen to be suspended until his existing license expired (on June 29, 2011). If Sonnen applied for a new license after June 29, 2011, he would have to reappear before the CSAC, which could deny the application.
Second return to the UFC
After his suspension, Sonnen returned to the UFC on October 8, 2011, defeating
Brian Stann
Brian Michael Stann (born September 24, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist and U.S. Marine who competed as a Middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was also a col ...
with a second round arm triangle choke at
UFC 136
''UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 8, 2011, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The event coincided with a two-day UFC Fan Expo held at the George R. Brown ...
.
Sonnen was expected to face
Mark Muñoz
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Mark Kenery Muñoz (born February 9, 1978) is a Filipino-American former professional mixed martial artist who last competed in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competito ...
on January at
UFC on Fox 2, but Muñoz was injured and replaced by
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English actor, sports analyst, commentator and retired mixed martial artist, who competed in the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor ...
. Sonnen was awarded the unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, and 29–28) victory after three rounds.
Silva vs. Sonnen II
A rematch with
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...
was scheduled
UFC 147
''UFC 147: Silva vs. Franklin II'' was a mixed martial arts pay-per-view event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 23, 2012 at Mineirinho Arena in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Background
The finals in the featherweight and middlewei ...
, but the bout was moved to
UFC 148
''UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the seventeenth UFC event of the year. The card consisted of e ...
on July 7, 2012, after a scheduling conflict with the
UN Conference on Sustainable Development
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), also known as Rio 2012, Rio+20 (), or Earth Summit 2012 was the third international conference on sustainable development aimed at reconciling the economic and environmental goals ...
forced UFC 147 into a smaller venue. The fight was considered by many analysts and several major media outlets as the most highly anticipated bout in
UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
history.
The fight looked to be similar to the first, as Sonnen immediately took down Silva and dominated him with wrestling and ground and pound strikes.
One cageside judge scored it a 10–8 round as Silva was credited with zero strikes. However, Sonnen would be unable to score a takedown in the second round, and attempted a spinning backfist that missed, causing him to lose his balance, with Silva connecting with a knee to the body and finishing Sonnen with punches, losing the fight by TKO in the second round.
Return to light heavyweight
On August 14, 2012, on ''UFC Tonight'', Sonnen announced he would face
Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013 and currently serves as the Vice President of Athlete Development at the ...
in a
Light Heavyweight rematch on December 29, 2012, at
UFC 155
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
. But the rematch with Griffin was scrapped after Sonnen was named as a coach for ''
The Ultimate Fighter 17
''The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen'' (also known as ''The Ultimate Fighter 17'') is the seventeenth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''.
The series ...
'' against
Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which he has competed in the light heavyweight division. He is a former two-time UFC L ...
.
A bout between Sonnen and Jones for the
UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
took place on April 27, 2013, at
UFC 159
''UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held on April 27, 2013, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Background
Jimy Hettes was expected to face Steven Siler at the event; however, Hettes was forced out of the bo ...
. Sonnen originally accepted a fight with
Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which he has competed in the light heavyweight division. He is a former two-time UFC L ...
for the title at
UFC 151
''UFC 151: Jones vs. Henderson'' was a planned mixed martial arts event that was to be held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 1, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was to be headlined by a UFC Light ...
, after Jones's original challenger
Dan Henderson
Daniel Jeffery Henderson (born August 24, 1970) is an American retired mixed martial artist and Olympic wrestler, who last competed as a middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He was the last Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champi ...
was injured, but Jones declined. Some fighters were upset with his title opportunity because Sonnen, "arguably the most legendary talker in UFC history", had not fought since returning to the light heavyweight division. Dana White defended the matchup, saying "Sonnen was willing to fly over to Las Vegas to fight Jones on the same day", while other contenders like
Maurício Rua
Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former model. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a forme ...
and
Lyoto Machida
(born 30 May 1978), is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and karateka, who currently competes in the Light heavyweight division. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light ...
turned the offer down.
Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which he has competed in the light heavyweight division. He is a former two-time UFC L ...
showed a lack of interest in the fight and downplayed the contest, making it clear that he did not believe Sonnen to be a worthy contender. In an interview, Sonnen did his best to hype up interest but Jones gave him "silent treatment", refusing to make eye contact. Jones dispatched the challenger using Sonnen's own style of dominant top control and ground and pound to defeat him via TKO in the first round. Despite the dominant performance from Jones, Sonnen was likely only 27 seconds away from winning the title, as it was later discovered that, while defending a takedown, Jones suffered a serious toe injury that could have resulted in a doctor's stoppage TKO loss had the bout continued to the second round.
Sonnen was expected to face
Maurício Rua
Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former model. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a forme ...
on June 15, 2013, at
UFC 161
''UFC 161: Evans vs. Henderson'' was a mixed martial arts event held on June 15, 2013, at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Background
While the UFC has hosted several events in the past in Canada, the event was the first that the or ...
, replacing
Antônio Rogério Nogueira
Antônio Rogério Nogueira (; born 2 June 1976), also known as Minotouro or Lil Nog, is a Brazilian former mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the UFC. He is the twin brother of Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, the "Minotauro ...
, who had pulled out of the bout citing a back injury.
However, issues relating to obtaining a visa meant Sonnen was not able to get into Canada, and Rua ended up being pulled from the event altogether.
The bout with Rua eventually took place on August 17, 2013, at
UFC Fight Night 26
''UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen'' (also known as ''UFC Fight Night 26'') was a mixed martial arts event held on August 17, 2013, at the TD Garden in Boston.
Background
The event was the first UFC event broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
The main e ...
. Sonnen won via a guillotine choke submission in the first round.
Sonnen faced
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist. Evans started his professional career in 2003, he was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 and is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and a 2 ...
on November 16, 2013, at
UFC 167
''UFC 167: St-Pierre vs. Hendricks'' was a mixed martial arts event held on November 16, 2013, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Background
The event commemorated the organization's 20th anniversary. The main event was a ...
. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
''The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3'' and failed drug tests
On October 22, 2013, it was announced that Sonnen would be coaching ''
The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3'', against long-time rival
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian-American former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the ...
. A bout with Silva, briefly attached to
UFC 173
''UFC 173: Barão vs. Dillashaw'' was a mixed martial arts event held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 24, 2014.
Background
A Middleweight Championship bout between then champion Chris Weidman and number one contender V ...
, then at
The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3 Finale, was expected to take place on July 5, 2014, at
UFC 175
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
. Dana White later stated the fight had to be rescheduled because Silva injured his hand from a brawl with Sonnen that took place during the filming of the show. Silva was ultimately pulled from the fight entirely after he failed to submit an application to fight in the state of Nevada, as well as his refusal to undergo a random drug test and was replaced by
Vitor Belfort
Vítor Vieira Belfort (; born 1 April 1977) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions. Belfort previously competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he fought in the Heavywe ...
. However, Sonnen subsequently failed his random drug test and was removed from the bout.
First retirement and termination
Following the controversy of his second failed drug test, Sonnen announced on the June 11, 2014, episode of ''UFC Tonight'' his retirement from MMA competition.
Subsequent to his retirement, it was revealed on June 28, 2014, by the NSAC that Sonnen had failed a second random drug test—the third failed drug test throughout his MMA career—due to the presence of
human growth hormone (HGH), recombinant human
erythropoietin (EPO),
anastrozole
Anastrozole, sold under the brand name Arimidex among others, is a medication used in addition to other treatments for breast cancer. Specifically it is used for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It has also been used to prevent breast ca ...
, and
human chorionic gonadotropin
Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a hormone for the maternal recognition of pregnancy produced by trophoblast cells that are surrounding a growing embryo (syncytiotrophoblast initially), which eventually forms the placenta after implantatio ...
(hCG).
On June 30, 2014, UFC and Fox Sports announced they had terminated Sonnen's contract as a UFC analyst due to his multiple failed drug tests. On July 23, 2014, the NSAC ruled that Sonnen would be suspended for 2 years from martial arts competition worldwide due to his multiple failed drugs tests.
Bellator MMA
On September 15, 2016, it was reported that Sonnen had signed a multi-fight contract with Bellator MMA.
Sonnen made his promotional debut in a light heavyweight match against former
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champions are fighters who have won UFC championships.
Historical notes
At the time of the UFC's inception in 1993, mixed martial arts was not sanctioned in the United States, and did not include weight classe ...
and
UFC Hall-of-Famer Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz (; born January 23, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist and politician. He is currently signed to the Combate Americas promotion. Ortiz is best known for his stints with the Ultimate Fighting Championship ...
on January 21, 2017, in the main event at
Bellator 170. He lost the fight via submission in the first round.
His second promotional fight was a rescheduled match up against
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian-American former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the ...
on June 24, 2017, in the main event at
Bellator NYC. He won the fight via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, and 30–27). He got knocked down in the first round but dominated the rest of the fight to guarantee a win over his long-time rival. In his post-fight speech, he called for a bout with heavyweight
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko ( rus, Фёдор Влади́мирович Емелья́ненко, r=Fyodor Vladimirovich Yemelyanenko, p=ˈfʲɵdər vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ jɪmʲɪˈlʲjænʲɪnkə, IPA; born ...
, who had lost earlier on the card.
Heavyweight Grand Prix
Sonnen faced
Quinton Jackson
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (born June 20, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist, actor and former professional wrestler, who most recently fought in the Bellator MMA. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and unified the Pride Middlew ...
for the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament on January 20, 2018, at
Bellator 192
2018 in Bellator MMA was the tenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. Bellator held 23 events in 2015.
Background
In addition to airing cards on the newly-rebranded Paramount Network ...
. He won the fight via unanimous decision, securing a takedown in each round to establish the win.
Sonnen faced
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko ( rus, Фёдор Влади́мирович Емелья́ненко, r=Fyodor Vladimirovich Yemelyanenko, p=ˈfʲɵdər vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ jɪmʲɪˈlʲjænʲɪnkə, IPA; born ...
next in the semifinals of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix tournament on October 13, 2018, at
Bellator 208. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
Return to light heavyweight and second retirement
On April 4, 2019, it was announced that Sonnen would face
Lyoto Machida
(born 30 May 1978), is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and karateka, who currently competes in the Light heavyweight division. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light ...
on June 14, 2019, at
Bellator 222 in Bellator's return to
Madison Square Garden. He lost the fight via TKO in the second round. Sonnen announced his retirement from MMA in the post-fight interview.
Analyst career
On November 11, 2014,
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...
announced it had hired Sonnen as an MMA analyst. He debuted on November 14, previewing
UFC 180.
On May 6, 2015,
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
promotion
Global Force Wrestling
Global Force Wrestling was an American professional wrestling promotion founded in 2014 by Jeff Jarrett, the co-founder and former President of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (now known as Impact Wrestling), and his wife Karen Jarrett. It is ow ...
(GFW) announced Sonnen as an "expert analyst" for its future events. On July 24, Sonnen was revealed as part of the announce team for GFW's ''Amped'' program.
On September 2, 2015, it was announced that Sonnen signed with the
World Series of Fighting
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) is an American mixed martial arts league founded by venture capitalist Donn Davis in 2017 and launched in 2018, following the acquisition and restructuring of the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) promot ...
to become a member of their broadcast team beginning at
WSOF 23
World Series of Fighting 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino II was a mixed martial arts event to be held in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. This event aired on NBCSN in the U.S and on Fight Network in Canada.
Background
The main event was a rematch for ...
.
Upon signing with
Bellator MMA in 2016, Sonnen signed as an analyst for Bellator in addition to being a fighter, and he also did commentary on numerous Bellator events.
Political candidacy
Sonnen ran as the
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
candidate for the 37th district of the
Oregon House of Representatives in 2010. That June, he dropped out of the race, referring to a 2006 legal issue involving real estate.
Championships and accomplishments
Amateur wrestling
*
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
**
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athletic ...
All-American out of University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
(1998)
[Chael Sonnen – Official UFC® Fighter Profile](_blank)
Uk.ufc.com. Retrieved on December 12, 2011.
**
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Division I 190 lb – 8th place
out of University of Oregon (1998)
**
Pac-10 Conference
The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference, that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division ...
197 lb – 2nd place
out of University of Oregon (1999)
**
Pac-10 Conference
The Pac-12 Conference is a collegiate athletic conference, that operates in the Western United States, participating in 24 sports at the NCAA Division I level. Its football teams compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS; formerly Division ...
197 lb – 2nd place
out of University of Oregon (2001)
* University National
Greco-Roman Championships
** 187.25 lb – 3rd place
out of University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
(1997)
[1997 NCAA Wrestling Championship Biography – Sonnen Chael](_blank)
Uni.edu. Retrieved on August 24, 2011.
** 187.25 lb – 2nd place
out of University of Oregon (1998)
** 187.25 lb – 1st place
out of University of Oregon (1999)
** 187.25 lb – 1st place
out of University of Oregon (2000)
** Awarded "Most Outstanding Wrestler" of 2000 tournament
* World University
Greco-Roman Championships
** 187.25 lb – 2nd place (2000)
* Senior National
Greco-Roman Championships
** 187.25 lb – 4th place (2000)
** 185 lb – 4th place (2002)
* 2000 US
Greco-Roman Olympic Team Trials
** 187.25 lb West Regional Champion
** 187.25 lb – 3rd place
* US
Greco-Roman World Team Trials
** 211.75 lb – 4th place (2002)
* Dave Schultz Memorial International
Greco-Roman
** 187.25 lb – 1st place (2000)
** 213.75 lb – 1st place (2001)
* University National
Freestyle Championships
** 187.25 lb – 5th place
out of University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
(1998)
** 187.25 lb – 3rd place
out of University of Oregon (1999)
** 187.25 lb – 2nd place
out of University of Oregon (2000)
* Championship Belt Series Winner, University Level (2000)
Mixed martial arts
*
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Zuffa, a wholly owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. It is the largest MMA ...
**
Fight of the Night (Two times)
vs. Nate Marquardt
Nathan Joel Marquardt (born April 20, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the middleweight and welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 1999, he is a former Strikeforce W ...
and Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...
**
Submission of the Night (One time)
vs. Maurício Rua
Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former model. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a forme ...
*
Bellator MMA
**Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinalist
* DangerZone
** DangerZone Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
** DangerZone Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner
*
George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame museum located within the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum's Dan Gable Museum. The hall of fame honors wrestlers with a strong amat ...
** George Tragos Award (2016)
* Gladiator Challenge
** Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
* Hitman Fighting Productions
** Hitman Light Heavyweight Championship (One time)
* World MMA Awards
** Fight of the Year (2010)
vs. Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...
on August 17
** Personality of the Year (2013)
*
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
This is a list of both active and inactive ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' awards created by professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) journalist Dave Meltzer. The first fourteen awards were created in 1980 as an informal poll between ...
**
Best on Interviews (2010)
Personal life
Sonnen is of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
heritage, and is a
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.
Sonnen is married to Brittany; their wedding was in July 2013. The couple had their first child, a son named Thero, on June 4, 2015. On the next episode of his podcast, he said that he had never understood parents who describe something as mundane as birth as a
miracle
A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divi ...
, but that now he understood. He also said, "I love hearing him scream. People get upset when their baby cries, man, I've waited a long time to hear that cry, I've got no problem with it. In my house, we understand, if you want to be heard, you gotta make a little noise." In 2016, Chael's newborn daughter, Blauna Dian, died. Both Blauna Dian and Chael's wife, Brittany, had contracted
listeria
''Listeria'' is a genus of bacteria that acts as an intracellular parasite in mammals. Until 1992, 17 species were known, each containing two subspecies. By 2020, 21 species had been identified. The genus is named in honour of the British pio ...
.
On May 5, 2013, Sonnen announced he would like to buy
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
(valued at roughly $700 million) after he retires. Though his representative insisted he was not joking, a WWE representative said it was not for sale, and suggested Sonnen purchase stock in the company instead.
Controversies and legal troubles
2011: Money laundering
Sonnen is a licensed
realtor in Oregon. In 2006, as the agent for a home sale, he told the
title company
Title insurance is a form of indemnity insurance predominantly found in the United States and Canada which insures against financial loss from defects in title to real property and from the invalidity or unenforceability of mortgage loans. Unlike ...
to pay a plumbing company owned by Sonnen's mother for repairs, though he knew they would not be carried out. After the mortgage company agreed to the loan, the plumbing company was paid $69,000 and, at Sonnen's direction, paid the home buyer $65,000. On January 3, 2011, he pleaded guilty to
money laundering in connection with
mortgage fraud
Mortgage fraud refers to an intentional misstatement, misrepresentation, or omission of information relied upon by an underwriter or lender to fund, purchase, or insure a loan secured by real property.
Criminal offenses may be prosecuted in eith ...
. After agreeing to testify against others involved in the investigation, Sonnen was fined $10,000 and sentenced to two years'
probation
Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration.
In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
.
2012: Embezzlement lawsuit
In 2012, Sonnen started Mean Streets Pizza with business partner Lee Gamble in
West Linn, Oregon
West Linn is a city in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States. A southern suburb within the Portland metropolitan area, West Linn developed on the site of the former Linn City, which was named after U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Ste. Genevie ...
. In February 2013 Sonnen sued his business partner for
embezzlement and unpaid rent. Gamble filed a counter lawsuit seeking $400,000 in damages from Sonnen for defamation, wage reimbursement, and his ownership interest in the business. The case was
settled out of court
In law, a settlement is a resolution between disputing parties about a legal case, reached either before or after court action begins. A collective settlement is a settlement of multiple similar legal cases. The term also has other meanings in t ...
and did not go to trial. Sonnen sold Mean Streets Pizza in 2014 to new management and it was renamed Island Sam's Pizza.
2021: Altercation at Luxor Hotel
In December 2021, Sonnen was charged with five counts of
misdemeanor battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
after an alleged altercation at a Luxor Hotel and Casino hotel in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. Witnesses reported seeing Sonnen loudly banging on a hotel room door at around 7:00 PM
PST. When the door opened, Sonnen allegedly got into a physical altercation with multiple people, prompting hotel guests to call 911. Video footage showed Sonnen in handcuffs being walked down a hotel hallway by Las Vegas police officers, but Sonnen was not arrested, only detained and later given citations for the charges. On January 27, 2022, all charges against Sonnen were dropped
without prejudice
Prejudice is a legal term with different meanings, which depend on whether it is used in criminal, civil, or common law. In legal context, "prejudice" differs from the more common use of the word and so the term has specific technical meanings. ...
.
However, on March 22, 2022, the district attorney, who had the power to charge Sonnen again with new information, charged Sonnen with one felony battery by strangulation charge, along with 10 misdemeanor battery charges, including alleged choking of one person, possible striking of a female among others. Sonnen initially faced five misdemeanor battery charges by five different people but the charges were dismissed at court. On March 30, 2022, Sonnen's charges were reduced to six misdemeanors and the trial is set to begin on April 5, 2023 after Sonnen rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors on four misdemeanor battery charges.
Film and television appearances
Sonnen has appeared in the following films:
* ''
Here Comes the Boom'' (2012)
* ''
Grudge Match
''Grudge Match'' is a 2013 American sports comedy film directed by Peter Segal. The film stars Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro as aging boxers stepping into the ring for one last bout. Stallone and De Niro have both previously been in suc ...
'' (2013)
In 2017, he appeared on ''
The New Celebrity Apprentice
''The New Celebrity Apprentice'' (also known simply as ''The Apprentice'') was the eighth and final installment of the reality game show ''The Celebrity Apprentice'', thus making it the fifteenth and final installment of ''The Apprentice'' as a w ...
'', the 8th season of
reality game show
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
''
The Celebrity Apprentice
''The Celebrity Apprentice'' is an American television reality competition series. It was a variation of ''The Apprentice'' series, hosted by then real estate developer (later 45th president of the United States) Donald Trump from 2008 to 2015, an ...
''. He was fired by host
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the show's 4th week after it emerged that he had deliberately cut his team's computer cord in order to gain them more time.
Mixed martial arts record
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 31–17–1
,
Lyoto Machida
(born 30 May 1978), is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and karateka, who currently competes in the Light heavyweight division. He formerly competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he was a former UFC Light ...
, TKO (flying knee and punches)
,
Bellator 222
,
, align=center, 2
, align=center, 0:22
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
, New York, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center, 31–16–1
,
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Vladimirovich Emelianenko ( rus, Фёдор Влади́мирович Емелья́ненко, r=Fyodor Vladimirovich Yemelyanenko, p=ˈfʲɵdər vlɐˈdʲimʲɪrəvʲɪtɕ jɪmʲɪˈlʲjænʲɪnkə, IPA; born ...
, TKO (punches)
,
Bellator 208
,
, align=center, 1
, align=center, 4:46
,
Uniondale, New York
Uniondale is a census-designated place (CDP), as well as a suburb in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 32,473 at the 2020 United States Census. Uniondale is home to Hofstra University's nort ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 31–15–1
,
Quinton Jackson
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (born June 20, 1978) is an American mixed martial artist, actor and former professional wrestler, who most recently fought in the Bellator MMA. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and unified the Pride Middlew ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
Bellator 192
2018 in Bellator MMA was the tenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States. Bellator held 23 events in 2015.
Background
In addition to airing cards on the newly-rebranded Paramount Network ...
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
Inglewood, California, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center, 30–15–1
,
Wanderlei Silva
Wanderlei César da Silva ( , , ; born 3 July 1976) is a Brazilian-American former mixed martial artist who competed in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships and the American-based Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He holds the record for the ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
Bellator 180
,
, align=center, 3
, align=center, 5:00
,
New York City, New York
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 29–15–1
,
Tito Ortiz
Jacob Christopher "Tito" Ortiz (; born January 23, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist and politician. He is currently signed to the Combate Americas promotion. Ortiz is best known for his stints with the Ultimate Fighting Championship ...
, Submission (rear-naked choke)
,
Bellator 170
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 2:03
,
Inglewood, California, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 29–14–1
,
Rashad Evans
Rashad Anton Evans (born September 25, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist. Evans started his professional career in 2003, he was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 and is also a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and a 2 ...
, TKO (punches)
,
UFC 167
''UFC 167: St-Pierre vs. Hendricks'' was a mixed martial arts event held on November 16, 2013, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Background
The event commemorated the organization's 20th anniversary. The main event was a ...
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 4:05
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 29–13–1
,
Maurício Rua
Maurício Milani Rua (; born 25 November 1981), also known as Shogun, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former model. He competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a forme ...
, Submission (guillotine choke)
,
UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 4:47
,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 28–13–1
,
Jon Jones
Jonathan Dwight Jones (born July 19, 1987) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), in which he has competed in the light heavyweight division. He is a former two-time UFC L ...
, TKO (elbows and punches)
,
UFC 159
''UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held on April 27, 2013, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Background
Jimy Hettes was expected to face Steven Siler at the event; however, Hettes was forced out of the bo ...
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 4:33
,
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.[Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...]
, TKO (knee to the body and punches)
,
UFC 148
''UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the seventeenth UFC event of the year. The card consisted of e ...
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 1:55
,
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 28–11–1
,
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English actor, sports analyst, commentator and retired mixed martial artist, who competed in the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC on Fox: Evans vs. Davis
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 27–11–1
,
Brian Stann
Brian Michael Stann (born September 24, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist and U.S. Marine who competed as a Middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a former WEC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was also a col ...
, Submission (arm-triangle choke)
,
UFC 136
''UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 8, 2011, at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The event coincided with a two-day UFC Fan Expo held at the George R. Brown ...
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 3:51
,
Houston, Texas, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 26–11–1
,
Anderson Silva
Anderson da Silva (; born 14 April 1975) is a Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. This started in 2006 an ...
, Submission (triangle armbar)
,
UFC 117
''UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States.
Background
UFC President Dana White announced via ESPN on Jim Ro ...
,
, style="text-align:center;" , 5
, style="text-align:center;" , 3:10
,
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 26–10–1
,
Nate Marquardt
Nathan Joel Marquardt (born April 20, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist who competed in the middleweight and welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 1999, he is a former Strikeforce W ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC 109
''UFC 109: Relentless'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on February 6, 2010, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
A previously rumoured bout between Renzo Gracie and ...
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 25–10–1
,
Yushin Okami
is a Japanese mixed martial artist. A professional competitor since 2002, Okami has competed for the UFC, PRIDE, Pancrase, M-1 Global, World Series of Fighting, DEEP, Professional Fighters League, and ONE Championship.
Mixed martial arts ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC 104
''UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on October 24, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.
Background
As with UFC 103, the UFC announced a portion of the preliminary card would ...
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 24–10–1
,
Dan Miller
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC 98
''UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on May 23, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
A title unification match between the Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir and U ...
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center ,
,
Demian Maia
Demian Maia (born 6 November 1977) is a Brazilian professional submission grappler and mixed martial artist. He competed in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Maia is regarded as one ...
, Submission (triangle choke)
,
UFC 95
''UFC 95: Sanchez vs. Stevenson'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on February 21, 2009 at The O2 Arena in London, United Kingdom.
Background
The event was broadcast live for viewers in Europe and ...
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 2:37
,
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, United Kingdom
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 23–9–1
,
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho (; born May 24, 1978), is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist who last competed in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor from 2000 until 2014, Fil ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
WEC 36
''WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown'' was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on November 5, 2008 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The event aired live on the Versus Network.
Bac ...
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Hollywood, Florida, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 22–9–1
,
Bryan Baker
, Decision (unanimous)
,
WEC 33
''WEC 33: Marshall vs. Stann'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) that took place on Wednesday, March 26, 2008.
Background
A rematch for the WEC Middlweight Championship between champion Paulo Filho ...
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 21–9–1
,
Paulo Filho
Paulo Fernando de Souza Leite Filho, better known as simply Paulo Filho (; born May 24, 1978), is a Brazilian retired mixed martial artist who last competed in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor from 2000 until 2014, Fil ...
, Submission (armbar)
,
WEC 31
''WEC 31: Faber vs. Curran'' was a mixed martial arts (MMA) event held by World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). The event took place on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada and was aired live on the ...
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 4:55
,
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 21–8–1
,
Kyacey Uscola
, TKO (punches)
, SF 20: Homecoming
,
, align=center , 1
, style="text-align:center;" , 4:31
,
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 20–8–1
,
Amar Suloev
Amar Suloev (January 7, 1976 – June 27, 2016) was a Russian mixed martial artist. Following his mixed martial arts career, Suloev became involved in the world of organized crime and was arrested and accused of being a contract killer. He died o ...
, TKO (punches)
, BodogFIGHT: Alvarez vs. Lee
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 3:33
,
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.[Tim McKenzie
Tim McKenzie (born July 21, 1982) is a retired American professional mixed martial artist. A professional competitor from 2001 until 2011, he fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting, Pancrase, and Tachi Palace F ...]
, Submission (brabo choke)
, BodogFIGHT: Costa Rica Combat
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 0:13
,
San José, Costa Rica
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 18–8–1
,
Aleksei Oleinik
Aleksei Alexeyevich Oleinik (born June 25, 1977, as Oleksíy Oleksíyovych Olíynyk) is a Russian mixed martial artist and combat sambo fighter who fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, competing in their heavyweight division. He be ...
, Decision (unanimous)
, BodogFIGHT: USA vs. Russia
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 17–8–1
,
Tim Credeur
Timothy Wallace Credeur II (born July 9, 1977) is a retired American mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of Spike TV's '' The Ultimate Fighter 7'' and was defeated by fellow cast member Jesse Taylor in the semi-finals. He was then brought ...
, TKO (punches)
, BodogFIGHT: To the Brink of War
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 2:18
,
San José, Costa Rica
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 16–8–1
,
Jeremy Horn
Jeremy Graham Horn (born August 25, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist. Horn is best known for fighting in smaller American promotions, he has also competed in some of the premiere mixed martial arts organizations around the world, inclu ...
, Submission (armbar)
,
UFC 60
''UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 27, 2006. The event took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United S ...
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 1:17
,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 16–7–1
,
Trevor Prangley
Trevor Prangley (born 24 August 1972) is a South African mixed martial artist. He has fought in the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Dream, King of the Cage, MFC, the SFL, Shark Fights, and Bodog Fight. He competed in the Middleweight and Light ...
, Decision (unanimous)
,
UFC Fight Night 4
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Nevada, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 15–7–1
,
Renato Sobral
Renato da Cunha Sobral (; born 7 September 1975), also known as "Babalu", is a retired Brazilian Luta Livre submission grappler, mixed martial artist, and was the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral previously fought in the Ult ...
, Submission (triangle choke)
,
UFC 55
''UFC 55: Fury'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 7, 2005 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. The event was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States, and later releas ...
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 1:20
,
Uncasville, Connecticut
Uncasville is an area in the town of Montville, Connecticut, United States. It is a village in southeastern Montville, at the mouth of the Oxoboxo River where it flows into the Thames River. The name is now applied more generally to all of the ea ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 15–6–1
, Tim Williams
, TKO (punches)
, SF 11: Rumble at the Rose Garden
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 3:59
,
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 14–6–1
, Adam Ryan
, TKO (punches)
, Euphoria: USA vs World
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 3:49
,
Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 13–6–1
,
Terry Martin
, TKO (corner stoppage)
, XFO 4: International
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 5:00
,
McHenry, Illinois
McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb, part of the Chicago metropolitan area and is located about 37 miles northwest of Chicago. Per the 2020 census, the population was 27,135. McHenry was at one time th ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 13–5–1
,
Alex Stiebling
, Decision (unanimous)
,
WEC 12
WEC 12: Halloween Fury 3 was a mixed martial arts event promoted by World Extreme Cagefighting on October 21st, 2004 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California. The card featured many future superstars such as Jason "The Punisher ...
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Lemoore, California, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 12–5–1
,
Jeremy Horn
Jeremy Graham Horn (born August 25, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist. Horn is best known for fighting in smaller American promotions, he has also competed in some of the premiere mixed martial arts organizations around the world, inclu ...
, Submission (guillotine choke)
, SF 6: Battleground in Reno
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 2:35
,
Reno, Nevada
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 12–4–1
,
Keiichiro Yamamiya
, Decision (majority)
,
Pancrase: 2004 Neo-Blood Tournament Final
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
, Japan
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 12–3–1
,
Jeremy Horn
Jeremy Graham Horn (born August 25, 1975) is an American mixed martial artist. Horn is best known for fighting in smaller American promotions, he has also competed in some of the premiere mixed martial arts organizations around the world, inclu ...
, TKO (cut)
, Extreme Challenge 57
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 3:34
,
Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 12–2–1
, Justin Bailey
, KO (flying knee)
, Rage on the River
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 0:40
,
Redding, California, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 11–2–1
, Arman Gambaryan
, Decision (unanimous)
, Euphoria: Russia vs USA
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center ,
,
Homer Moore
, Decision (unanimous)
, ROTR 4.5: Proving Grounds
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 5:00
,
Hilo, Hawaii, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 9–2–1
, Greg Curnut
, TKO (submission to punches)
, FCFF: Rumble at the Roseland 10
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 1:07
,
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 8–2–1
,
Jason Lambert
Jason L. Lambert (born September 23, 1977) is a retired American mixed martial artist. A professional from 2001 until 2013, he competed for the UFC, WEC, Bellator, King of the Cage, and AFC. He is the former WEC light heavyweight champion.
...
, Decision (unanimous)
, Gladiator Challenge 20
,
, style="text-align:center;" , 3
, style="text-align:center;" , 5:00
,
Colusa, California
Colusa is a city and county seat of Colusa County, California, located in the Sacramento Valley region of the Central Valley. The population was 5,971 at the 2010 census, up from 5,402 at the 2000 census. Colusi originates from the local Coru N ...
, United States
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 7–2–1
,
Forrest Griffin
Forrest Griffin (born July 1, 1979) is an American retired mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2013 and currently serves as the Vice President of Athlete Development at the ...
, Submission (triangle choke)
, IFC: Global Domination
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 2:25
,
Denver, Colorado
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 7–1–1
,
Renato Sobral
Renato da Cunha Sobral (; born 7 September 1975), also known as "Babalu", is a retired Brazilian Luta Livre submission grappler, mixed martial artist, and was the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral previously fought in the Ult ...
, Decision
, Hitman Fighting 3
,
, align=center , N/A
, align=center , N/A
,
Santa Ana, California, United States
,
, -
, Draw
, align=center , 6–1–1
,
Akihiro Gono
(born October 7, 1974) is a Japanese mixed martial artist currently competing in the Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 1994, he is best known for his clever and deceptive fighting style, and for his flashy ring entrances. Gon ...
, Draw
,
Pancrase: Hybrid 2
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 5:00
,
Osaka
is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Special wards of Tokyo and Yokohama. With a population of ...
, Japan
,
, -
, Loss
, align=center , 6–1
,
Trevor Prangley
Trevor Prangley (born 24 August 1972) is a South African mixed martial artist. He has fought in the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, Dream, King of the Cage, MFC, the SFL, Shark Fights, and Bodog Fight. He competed in the Middleweight and Light ...
, Technical Submission (armbar)
, XFA 5: Redemption
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 2:49
,
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 6–0
, Justin Hawes
, TKO (punches)
, UFCF: Rumble in Rochester
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 4:26
,
Rochester, Washington
Rochester () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1852, and the 2020 census recorded its population at 6,064. According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 5–0
, Jesse Ault
, Decision (unanimous)
, Real Fighting Championships 1: The Beginning
,
, align=center , 3
, align=center , 5:00
,
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vega ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 4–0
, Scott Shipman
, Submission (forearm choke)
, rowspan=2, Dangerzone 13: Caged Heat
, rowspan=2,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 2:08
, rowspan=2,
New Town, North Dakota
New Town is a city in Mountrail County, North Dakota. The population was 2,764 at the time of the 2020 census, making it the 18th largest city in North Dakota. New Town was platted in 1950 as a replacement site for the residents of Sanish and ...
, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 3–0
, Jesse Ault
, Decision (unanimous)
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 5:00
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 2–0
,
Jason Miller
, Decision (unanimous)
, HFP 1: Rumble on The Reservation
,
, align=center , 2
, align=center , 5:00
,
Anza, California, United States
,
, -
, Win
, align=center , 1–0
, Ben Hailey
, Decision (unanimous)
, Battle of Fort Vancouver
,
, align=center , 1
, align=center , 7:00
,
Vancouver, Washington
Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, located in Clark County. Incorporated in 1857, Vancouver has a population of 190,915 as of the 2020 census, making it the fourth-largest city in Was ...
, United States
,
Submission grappling record
{, class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%; text-align:left;"
, -
, colspan=8 style="text-align:center;" , 9 Matches, 3 Wins, 4 Losses, 2 Draws
, -
! Result
! Rec.
! Opponent
! Method
! text-center, Event
! Date
! Division
! Location
, -
, Loss , , align=center, 3–4–2, , Craig Jones , , Submission (heel hook) , , rowspan=2, ADCC 2017 , , rowspan=2, September 24, 2017 , , Absolute , , rowspan=2,
Espoo
Espoo (, ; sv, Esbo) is a city and municipality in the region of Uusimaa in the Republic of Finland. It is located on the northern shore of the Gulf of Finland, bordering the cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, Kirkkonummi, Vihti and Nurmijärvi ...
, Finland
, -
, Win , , align=center, 3–3–2, ,
Léo Vieira , , Referee Decision , , Superfight
, -
, Draw , , align=center, 2–3–2, ,
Michael Bisping
Michael Gavin Joseph Bisping (; born 28 February 1979) is an English actor, sports analyst, commentator and retired mixed martial artist, who competed in the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight division of the UFC. A professional competitor ...
, , Draw , , UR Fight 2016 , , March 20, 2016 , , Superfight, ,
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, Arizona
, -
, Draw , , align=center, 2–3–1, ,
Renato Sobral
Renato da Cunha Sobral (; born 7 September 1975), also known as "Babalu", is a retired Brazilian Luta Livre submission grappler, mixed martial artist, and was the former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion. Sobral previously fought in the Ult ...
, , Draw , , Metamoris VI , , May 9, 2015 , , Superfight , ,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California
, -
, Loss , , align=center, 2–3, ,
André Galvão
André Luiz Leite Galvão (; born September 29, 1982) is a Brazilian grappler and professional mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A 4th degree Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Fernando "Tererê" Augusto as well as a Judo black belt, ...
, , Submission (rear-naked choke) , , Metamoris IV , , August 9, 2014 , , Superfight , ,
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, California
, -
, Loss , , align=center, 2–2, ,
Alexandre Ferreira , , N/A , , rowspan=2, ADCC 2003 , , rowspan=2, May 17, 2003 , , rowspan=2, -99 kg , , rowspan=2,
São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for ' Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the Ga ...
, Brazil
, -
, Win , , align=center, 2–1, , Beau Clark , , N/A
, -
, Loss , , align=center, 1–1, ,
Alexandre Ferreira , , Submission (guillotine choke) , , rowspan=2, ADCC 2001 , , rowspan=2, April 11, 2001 , , rowspan=2, -99 kg , , rowspan=2,
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
, -
, Win , , align=center, 1–0, , Stephan Potvin , , N/A
, -
Pay-per-view bouts
{, class="wikitable sortable"
!No.
!Event
!Fight
!Date
!Venue
!City
!PPV Buys
, -
, 1.
,
UFC 109
''UFC 109: Relentless'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on February 6, 2010, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Background
A previously rumoured bout between Renzo Gracie and ...
, Sonnen vs. Marquardt (co)
, February 6, 2010
,
Mandalay Bay Events Center
The Michelob Ultra Arena, formerly the Mandalay Bay Events Center, is a 12,000-seat multi-purpose indoor arena at the Mandalay Bay, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by M ...
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, U.S
, 285,000
, -
, 2.
,
UFC 117
''UFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 7, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, United States.
Background
UFC President Dana White announced via ESPN on Jim Ro ...
, Silva vs. Sonnen
, August 7, 2010
,
Oracle Arena
An oracle is a person or agency considered to provide wise and insightful counsel or prophetic predictions, most notably including precognition of the future, inspired by deities. As such, it is a form of divination.
Description
The word ''or ...
,
Oakland,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, U.S
, 600,000
, -
, 3.
,
UFC 148
''UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen II'' was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 7, 2012, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the seventeenth UFC event of the year. The card consisted of e ...
, Silva vs. Sonnen 2
, July 7, 2012
,
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena (originally known as the MGM Grand Garden Special Events Center) is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena located within the MGM Grand Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
Sporting events
From its opening on December 18, 1993 ...
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, U.S
, 925,000
, -
, 4.
,
UFC 159
''UFC 159: Jones vs. Sonnen'' was a mixed martial arts event held on April 27, 2013, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Background
Jimy Hettes was expected to face Steven Siler at the event; however, Hettes was forced out of the bo ...
, Jones vs. Sonnen
, April 27, 2013
,
Prudential Center
Prudential Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the central business district of Newark, New Jersey. Opened in 2007, it is the home of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the men's basketball program of Seton Hal ...
,
Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, U.S
, 530,000
, -
, 5.
,
UFC 167
''UFC 167: St-Pierre vs. Hendricks'' was a mixed martial arts event held on November 16, 2013, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Background
The event commemorated the organization's 20th anniversary. The main event was a ...
, Evans vs. Sonnen (co)
, November 16, 2013
,
MGM Grand Garden Arena
The MGM Grand Garden Arena (originally known as the MGM Grand Garden Special Events Center) is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena located within the MGM Grand Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip.
Sporting events
From its opening on December 18, 1993 ...
,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
,
Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ...
, U.S
, 630,000
, -
, 6.
,
Bellator 180
, Sonnen vs. Silva
, June 24, 2017
,
Madison Square Garden
,
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
,
New York, U.S
, 95,000
, -
! colspan="6" , Total sales
!3,065,000
See also
*
List of current Bellator fighters
List of current Bellator MMA fighters records current Bellator MMA (Bellator) fighters' information, country origins, recent fighter signings and departures, fight schedules and results and the champion of each division. Unlike the UFC, Bellator d ...
*
List of male mixed martial artists
*
List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences
The following is an incomplete list of sportspeople who have been involved in doping offences. It contains those who have been found to have, or have admitted to having, taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs, prohibited recreational drugs or ...
References
External links
*
*
Chael Sonnen profile at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame*
Chael Sonnen GFW ProfileChael Sonnen on YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sonnen, Chael
1977 births
American athlete-politicians
American male mixed martial artists
American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu
People awarded a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu
American money launderers
American podcasters
American politicians convicted of fraud
Oregon Republicans
American male sport wrestlers
American sportspeople in doping cases
American white-collar criminals
Doping cases in mixed martial arts
Finance fraud
Light heavyweight mixed martial artists
Living people
Middleweight mixed martial artists
Mixed martial artists utilizing collegiate wrestling
Mixed martial artists utilizing Greco-Roman wrestling
Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu
Mixed martial artists from Oregon
Oregon Ducks wrestlers
People from West Linn, Oregon
Sportspeople from the Portland metropolitan area
Oregon politicians convicted of crimes
Professional wrestling announcers
Wrestlers from Oregon
Catholics from Oregon
Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters
Participants in American reality television series
The Apprentice (franchise) contestants