The Walking Soap Opera, Chael Sonnen
Like the used car salesman who may be annoying in his speech but awesome in his ability to deliver, Chael Sonnen made us smile again with his post fight rant this weekend, stepping out on a limb and all but signing a rematch with Anderson Silva for Super Bowl weekend 2012, complete with pro wrestling stipulations and the desire to gain what he feels is rightfully his, the UFC middleweight championship.
Aside from all of his public outbursts and criticisms of Silva, Nougeira, Brazil and anyone else he does not like, Sonnen has a resume that is hard to argue his position as number one contender for the middleweight crown. As discussed before, looking at the fight in marketability and stylistically, Sonnen is the only man on the roster really deserving of this title shot at the moment,
To stand center cage and call out a fight you want and not have any regard for how it is taken by the fans, sponsors, Zuffa or the person you are calling out shows the drive and determination he has for what he wants. If only other fighters would adopt the same mindset instead of tip-toeing around the idea and saying, “whatever UFC and Joe Silva want, I’m down.” Speak your mind and get what you feel is yours.
Not everyone will take this approach but Chael Sonnen is cut from a different cloth. In the pre fight media for his bout with Brian Stann, he was reserved and spoke only highly of his opponent. He knew what he was capable of, what he has already done and did not feel that thrashing him verbally would be of a benefit; fighters like Anderson Silva or Vitor Belfort on the other hand, he truly feels he is better than these fighters and won’t be swayed to believe or speak otherwise.
Sponsors may look on these antics and outbursts as immature but in reality, Sonnen sells a fight. It would be in the best interest for all parties involved to hop on the Oregon Trail again wherever it leads too, because you know there will be some excitement along the way. The rematch (if it happens) will be one of the biggest draws ever for numerous reasons: Was the first fight a fluke? Will Anderson toy with him or finish him quickly to shut his mouth? Can Sonnen take the title from him and defend it? Will either man live up to Sonnen’s pre fight demands?
As we sit watching a soap opera with a cliffhanger ending, all we can do is stay tuned to see what happens next with the cast of characters called the middleweight division and only hope that this fight will take place next year.
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