The Triangle Choke: Chael Sonnen Interview
Chael Sonnen talks about UFC match making, & a title shot against Anderson Silva
Chael Sonnen is the kind of guy the average person can relate to. He is hard working and straight forward which should translate nicely into his political career. Sonnen, a Republican, is currently running for the house seat in the state of Oregon. His drive and determination are as unquestioned as his beliefs. If you ask Sonnen a question you won’t get fluff, you will get his unedited opinion. His determination has never been on display more than when Sonnen received a call to fight Dan Miller at UFC 98. He accepted the fight and cut 36 pounds in three weeks to make 185. Incredibly he went the distance and grabbed a victory via a unanimous decision. At 24-10 Sonnen, who believes fighters should do other things than just fight, has been outspoken in his quest to fight Anderson Silva and believes he can defeat the much ballyhooed UFC Middleweight Champion. The fight would be between polar opposites in personality and fighting style and would make for great TV. I asked Chael a few questions including his thoughts on Silva:
SD- Speak about your victory over a very tough Nate Marquardt.
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Chael Sonnen dominated Nate Marquardt for three rounds at UFC 109 in February and should be next in line for a middleweight title shot. |
CS- Hard match, glad it's over. Not a bout I wanted to do - Nate is my friend.
SD- Talk about your diet, daily training regimen and life at Team Quest.
CS- Diets are garbage. Guys come up with them to sell books, they don't work, at least in terms of helping performance. If you need effective nutrition info, dolcediet.com is the place to go. I work REALLY hard, the lesson plans are secondary.
SD- Many fans are displeased with Joe Silva's match making skills of late, what are your thoughts of Belfort originally getting a title shot then it falling to Maia?
CS- Displeased, really?!? Hmm, not me. I've never had more fun as a fan of the UFC. I'd like to see Belfort fight Silva, I think he can beat him, oh well.
SD- Anderson Silva had another performance that is filled with criticisms as he showboated to a victory over Demian Maia. Many feel his actions were distasteful not only to Maia but the sport as a whole. What are your thoughts on his performance
and his actions?
CS- "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me." Look, it's not the first time he has fought like that. If you don't like, don't watch, but don't expect a different outcome. He's not fun to watch, that's just the truth. He is very effective though, that also is just the truth.
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SD- Many have stated that right now Silva is unbeatable.
CS- Fighters said that? Wow, that is cowardly, I wish you would name them so that Joe Silva can fire them and be done with it.
SD- Do you think that you should be next in line for the title?
CS- I've beaten every Champ in every major company there has ever been except one, and I've been poking my finger in his chest for 3.5 years now. There is not a man alive that has ever had to challenge me twice. I'm not sure what his deal is, but I assure you, he won't fight me unless Dana makes him.
I think most fans would love to see Sonnen compete against Silva as Chael would push the pace, win or lose. However, it may not happen as Silva has mentioned competing in different weight classes. Time will tell, but log on to ProFighting-fans.com for the latest MMA & UFC rumors as well as future UFC fight cards to stay up to date with the world of MMA.
By Scott Dryden
ProFighting-fans.com Editor-in-Chief