And though his career of late is re-starting after some well-documented legal problems, there's no question Sonnen is quite serious about both his approach to fighting and his criticism of those he perceives to be disingenuous.
Now, as one of his training partners and former opponents, Yushin Okami, is set to fight Anderson Silva at UFC RIO, Sonnen finds himself not only unable to corner his fighter for sponsorship-related reasons, but he can't even enter Brazil due to the monstrous distraction it would cause - distraction Okami certainly does not need.
And that's thing about Chael Sonnen: media and mma fans love to glom onto the inflammatory nature of his comments. The sport of MMA is as much about fan favorites as it is skill sets. We attach ourselves to fighters based on personality, antics in and out of the ring, and their sense of propriety (or the lack). I'm as guilty of this as the next person.
When Anderson Silva pranced around like a buffoon against Damien Maia, I loathed him for months afterward. But when he KO'd Vitor Belfort with a front-kick to the face, I was back on the bandwagon.
Many fans puff their chests when Sonnen takes a swipe at Brazilian fighters, or languages other than English. But ask yourself, do you think he's serious? Do you really think someone as articulate as Sonnen, and well-educated, with one-time political aspirations (alright, he's a Republican...but still) would really walk through life carrying superficial, impractical prejudices? How would that help him further himself?
The obvious answer is it wouldn't. I suspect those familiar with the fighting world, with what it takes to promote an MMA event, understand Sonnen's plight a bit better. He is creating entertainment by running his mouth - and he's much better at it than most. But if you place Sonnen's comments and antics alongside other footage or information about him, you find him to be a straight-shooting, serious fighter - one who carries both a respect for the sport, and for his fellow fighters.
He was more than aware of the distraction attending UFC RIO would cause for Okami, and immediately bowed out. But he shouldn't have had to. He should have been able to come in, with his hat pulled low over his eyes, and do his job in the corner. But he can't, and he won't. The question is, which will hurt Okami more?
Don't get me wrong. This isn't really a Sonnen love-in. I've never bought his PR jargon about owning the Silva fight. The fact of the matter is, he lost fair and square and soundly. He worked his plan right up until he failed - which is what every losing fighter does, regardless of how long it takes in the fight. Nor do I think highly of his excuses when it comes to his usage of banned substances of money laundering. There, his rhetoric smacked more of desperation and deflection, than of an honest, contrite assessment.
What I'm responding to is the seeming inability of some fans and media to separate the entertaining, sensational rhetoric of an articulate fighter from the seriousness of the sport. That's where the real distraction lies. MMA is not Pro Wrestling, where the drama takes precedence over the stunts.
The UFC is a well-oiled sports mechanism where fighters are given license to hype themselves, their fights, and take a few jabs at their opponents. It's a universal license, provided to each and every fighter - one that enables them to elevate their stature or dig a huge hole. Either way they put bums in seats, whether live or in front of TV's. The fights themselves are an entirely different matter.
Chael Sonnen's next bout is against Brian Stann at UFC 136.
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