Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

Sonnen is a polarizing character.

* He's a convicted criminal, and has served a suspension for drug taking.

* He seems to think that he's a WWE employee.

* He is not a particularly well-rounded fighter.

* His high-pitched, nasally voice is very annoying.

* He can be extremely disrespectful to other fighters, even ones who haven't provoked him and who he knows he'll never fight.

* Many of his fights are essentially him dry-humping a guy for 15 minutes. (Or 23 minutes. :lol:)

We can all agree on these things. :yep


However.


* He has the old-school fighter's mentality. He genuinely will fight anyone, anywhere, at any time. He says "When the day comes that I won't fight somebody, I won't fight anybody." And he means it.

* In the cage he is relentless, very tough, and never gives less than his best effort.

* He is an interesting personality, and seemingly a very fan-friendly guy. He's one of the best interviews in the sport, whether it's promoting a fight or just sitting around bullshitting with Rogan.



Are you impressed with Chael's warrior mentality, and do you give him credit for having the balls to put himself out there and at least attempt to back up his relentless shit-talking?

Or does his personality and self-promotion just turn you off SO much that you simply can't stand him on any level?

:hat

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

if he would at least stand by his word he would have some but, we all know he is a chicken shit
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMEiwvcBhpM[/ame]

the "thank you" at the end still gets to me :rofl

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

i respect his willingness to fight anyone and thats about where any semblance of respect from me stops

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

It doesn't have to be one or the other.

I give him credit for backing up his talk when he fights. His first fight with Anderson he did exactly what he said he would do. I give him credit for stepping up and fighting whoever/whenever, and unless he's truly deluded he has to know he's going to take a beating from Jones, but he's still chased the fight.

I also can't stand his constant self promotion. He does it incredibly well, but he's appealing to a very specific demographic, of which I am not a part. He talks so much trash I can barely stand to listen to him... but I suppose it does make it all the more sweet watching someone (be it Jones, Silva or otherwise) rape his dick hole come fight night.

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

So all old school fighters acted like bad WWE characters. He's just a better version of that ass hat that got beat by an old fat Big Nog.

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

I don't find that video disrespectful or evidence of him being chickenshit. :conf

Wanderlei talked to him politely, and although this was clearly not a conversation that Sonnen wanted to have, he respectfully let Wanderlei say what he needed to say. He didn't apologize for his trash talk, but he didn't get confrontational either. In fact I think that both men handled it pretty well. Wandy obviously has quite a strong dislike for Chael and he called him out on his behaviour, but he was not a dick about it. And Chael accepted his lecture from an MMA legend in a mature fashion.

What would you have preferred him to do? Stared Wanderlei down, told him to STFU, and initiate a fistfight in a van on the way to an event? :huh :lol:

:hat

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

That's why the poll has 4 options. :good

:hat

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

Despite Sonnen's blatant plagarising of Superstar Billy Graham in his Bisping post-fight interview - I have grown to become a fan. He has hit a peak physically in the past few years and has steamrolled everyone he's fought with the exception of Anderson Silva. I don't think he has a chance against Jon Jones - but I respect the fact that he talked his way into this fight - and into coaching a season of TUF. Game recognizes game.

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

No, that's not what I said at all.

He has an old-school fighting mentality. He'll fight anyone at any time, and he won't moan that he needs 4 months to prepare. He'll get TKOed by the p4p #1, then step up a division to fight the twice-as-big p4p #2 on eight day's notice, because the show must go on and the alternative is an event cancellation. He knows it's 95% certain that he'll get his ass brutally kicked, but it's about competing and stepping up to the challenge. That's an old-school mentality, the trash talk has nothing to do with it. :good

:hat

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

Sonnen should of apologized and just told Wandy its for show. It was a man to man conversation and he couldn't respond like one.

Most fighters don't like taking fights they will lose because, its hard to lose but, even more so in front of a crowd. Sonnen has no shame so hes getting paid to talk shit then take a beating and nothing else. He has no pride on the line like a normal fighter does.

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

And maybe he would have, if there wasn't a guy holding a videocamera 2 feet away from his face. He responded like a man by accepting Wandy's lecture with a humble manner, and only (rightly) challenging Wanderlei's assertion that he knew nothing of Brazil. Wanderlei already knows it's for show, he doesn't care and doesn't want Chael to do it anyway. And Chael didn't get defensive or aggressive, didn't challenge Wandy or give a fake apology or grovel to him. He handled it like a man. :good

You don't think Sonnen has pride in his performances? :huh

Sonnen talks shit for ONE reason. Because he learned that he is good at it and it works. It gives him opportunities and makes him rich. Have you heard him tell the story about hearing that some fight fell through, texting Joe Silva saying "I'll step in", and Joe Silva texted back saying "Who is this?"

Silva and Sonnen had exchanged texts before, but Silva had deleted Sonnen's number at some stage because Sonnen was basically anonymous and interchangeable, just another ex-college wrestler. That showed Chael where he stood, and he took that as a wake-up call. He decided that from then on he would make sure that people were going to know who he was and either want to see him challenge the top guys, or want to see him get put in his place by the top guys.

And through that effort, he has become a millionaire, a top contender, and has massively overachieved in the second half of his career. Can't hate on the man for the way he has played his hand, IMO. :good

:hat

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

Through effort and roids don't forget that. Also he was convicted of fraud so I'm sure he made some if not most of his fortune illegally. I have every right to hate him for the way he played his card.

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

I respect him, and I don't blame him for doing his schtick. Look how much money he is bringing in now. He is a very basic fighter with a wrestling base. Far from fan friendly, really, yet he has a huge fanbase. His style really isn't that far off from Fitch's, who everyone hates. Well, everyone loves him now because he had an exciting fight.

He seems like a decent guy, though, when he isn't in character. He offered to financially help both Munoz and King Mo when they were sidelined with injuries. He didn't brag about it, he just did it.

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

Great OP, sums chael fairly well.

I don't get caught up with spin, he can fight and he's a good character above it all but he's no champion. His mouth and ability to promote a fight is rare and after all smack fighters know what's going on. Its bot hard to respect chael but dislike how you can be an 'a' level fighter because you have a mouth but that's how life works doesnt it? Sucks arse

Re: Do you have respect for Chael Sonnen on any level?
 

I have respect for him in his ability to work idiot UFC marks and generate easy money and watch with bemusement and wonder as people make multiple threads about him

:hat