If Chael Sonnen had to be an MMA version of an iconic literary character from the turn of the 19th century, he would most likely be Kurtz, the enigmatic central character in Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness. If you don’t know who I’m talking about just watch Apocalypse Now, the far inferior version of the book. If Chael Sonnen were in the Congo in the late 1800’s there is no doubt he would use his velvet tongue to become a demigod to the surrounding tribesmen and live out the rest of his days hunting for ivory and monopolizing trading posts up and down the river. Not everyone thinks of Chael in such hypothetical literary terms though, especially Jorge Santiago. The last (?) Sengoku Middleweight Champion has Brian Stann in front of him at UFC 130, but that doesn’t mean Chael hasn’t crept his way into Santiago’s psyche like a thick fog along an African river. Lets revisit what Jorge had to say to us last week regarding his dislike of Chael.
Can you explain your dislike of Chael Sonnen?
Cocky man, he’s doing what he likes to do he’s selling talking shit and messing with a guys mind. It’s OK, he talk too much and he doesn’t have any ground so he shouldn’t talk too much.
If you were booked in a match with him, how would you deal with the smack talk mentally? Would he get to you?
Never, never. He can spend his time talking shit and not being in the gym. I will be in the gym, let him talk the shit.
Hopefully Santiago and Sonnen can navigate the jungle that is the UFC 185 pound division to find each other like Charles Marlow and Mr. Kurtz. Just under more civilized circumstances. Like punching each other in a cage.
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