Dana White Don’t Think Chael Sonnen Was Necessarily A Bad Guy
Chael Sonnen is coming off a second-round TKO loss from the hands of former UFC champion Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222 MMA event on (June 14, 2019) from New York City.
Sonnen entered into this contest in a parlay to score a win over Machida to lock a fight against Ryan Bader. However, he failed to pull a victory that led him to lay his gloves in the cage following his loss and announced retirement from MMA.
“The American Gangster” made his Bellator debut back in 2017 and since then piled up 2-3. Before that he made his name in the UFC where he defeated some top tier fighters en route to two title shots in two different divisions.
UFC president Dana White is the main guy who has witnessed the success and downfall of Sonnen during his run inside the Octagon. Chael Sonnen parted ways with the UFC back in 2013 after suffering KO loss to Rashad Evans.
“I like Chael a lot, I have a very good relationship with Chael Sonnen,” White told SiriusXM (h/t Bloodyelbow). “I like the fact that [the UFC] is the hardest place in the world to stay and make a living. It’s a very hard place. You have to be one of the best in the world to stick around here. And when guys can’t stick around here anymore, and they go somewhere else and get paid and make money; I love it. Good for them.”
"He was very calculated and very smart in the way he conducted himself in this business." — @danawhite examines Chael Sonnen's career and legacy with @RyanMcKinnell@MieshaTate pic.twitter.com/qlLQdZ8Voo
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) June 20, 2019
Dana White was complimentary of Sonnen who was UFC’s most prolific public talker before former two-division champ Conor Mcgregor appeared on the scene.
“I don’t think Chael was necessarily a bad guy,” White said. “I think Chael was very good — before Conor McGregor — Chael was the best guy out there to push buttons and not only piss off other fighters, but piss off fans and stuff like that. He was very calculated and very smart in the way he conducted himself in this business.”
Sonnen mostly relied on his wrestling to outclassed his opponents inside the Octagon, and before the fight, he intimidates his opponents through his trash talk.
After his retirement, Chael Sonnen will continue to play a role as part of Bellator MMA’s broadcast team.
