Although hated by many in the world of mixed martial arts, Chael Sonnen is a man to be reckoned with; inside the cage and in the political arena.  He is one of the world’s top ten middleweights, but why doesn’t anyone know who he is?  Well South Florida, the time has come for you to meet Chael Sonnen.

Sonnen comes from a wrestling background in which he was an NCAA division – All-American wrestler at the University of Oregon, a two-time University National Champion in Greco Roman, and a US Olympic team alternate.  He started his MMA career in 2002 with a big win against Jason “Mayhem” Miller, who you might be familiar with from Showtime’s Strikeforce or MTV’s Bully Beatdown.  Now, with a fight record of 24-10, he also holds wins over highly reputable names like former WEC champion Paulo Filho, and UFC fighters, Dan Miller and Nate Marquardt.  So, hate him or respect him?  You be the judge…

Anderson Silva

Born with the gift of gab, Chael Sonnen is quite opinionated when it comes to the sport of MMA and is apathetic with his cunning remarks against select fighters.  Most notable for his verbal assaults on upcoming opponent, Anderson “The Spider” Silva, “He’s a grown man with earrings. He’s a grown man with saggy pants, pink t-shirts and crooked hats. Go join a gang, don’t get in the UFC.” Chael had better win this fight. Previously, when questioned about his lack of Jiu-Jitsu skills when facing Anderson Silva, who received his blackbelt from Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Noguiera, who is highly regarded as a technical specialist in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Chael said “I think that having a blackbelt under the Noguiera brothers is like saying I got a free toy in my happy meal.” More so,  Chael  has also gone as far as expressing his disregard for female contenders of MMA saying, “They should be in the kitchen, not in the cage.”

Recently, Tapout, a notable clothing line for MMA fans and fighters, came out with a shirt that is dedicated to their disgust of Chael Sonnen and the negative notarity that he seems to have brought upon himself.

A Republican version of Jon Stewart, Chael has also successfully been able to incorporate his political beliefs into his lifestyle of fight training.  In one interview, Chael references his reasons for not training submissions saying, “Not because I don’t want to, but frankly because I am not very good at them. Even if I thought could get a submission, I’m not lying under a grown man with my legs spread on world wide TV.  Some guys subscribe to that theory, but I’m a Republican and we don’t do that.”

It is apparent that Chael likes to talk it up when the cameras are around, but like him or not, he is entertaining to say the very least.  Be sure to watch UFC 117 on August 7^th when Chael Sonnen goes toe-to-toe with Anderson “The Spider” Silva in Oakland, California for the UFC’s Middleweight Championship Belt. This is one fight you wont want to miss!