Forrest Griffin welcomes Chael Sonnen back to 205 Dec 29th!!

[caleb_forrest_g]

Chael Sonnen is gunning for a new title in the UFC and his pursuit starts in December against a former champion.
Following a loss to Anderson Silva in July at UFC 148, rumors began to circulate that Sonnen was considering a move back to 205lbs.
The Oregon native has fought at light heavyweight several times in his career, and there appeared to be a few options available to him if he returned there for his next bout in the Octagon.
It looks like he found the right prize worth pursuing.
Sonnen co-hosted UFC Tonight on Tuesday evening and announced that he would be returning to 205lbs to face former light heavyweight champion Forrest Griffin in December.
“I’ve watched him win the world championship, I’ve watched him etch his name in stone as a guaranteed future Hall of Famer, you and I and the whole world together watched him be a large part of creating and changing the industry that we have today. He’s one guy Jon Jones hasn’t fought, he’s beat two world champions in his last three outings, and on December 29th I will be taking on Forrest Griffin,” Sonnen stated.
The bout between Sonnen and Griffin is actually a rematch of a fight the two had back in 2003 during the famous IFC Global Domination tournament. Griffin submitted Sonnen with a triangle choke in the one-night tournament, which Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral eventually won.
The former middleweight title contender has never been short on words when it came to any fight or potential match-up, and it’s no different as Sonnen returns to the 205lb weight class.
His sights now appear aimed directly at UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, but first he’s paying respect by going through a former title holder to earn his way.
“Well, it’s not a matter of Forrest Griffin, I get very frustrated that Forrest’s name is left out of the conversation. This is a guy whose beat everybody, he’s never even been in talks to fight Jon Jones, he’s coming off a fight with Tito Ortiz, one of the most decorated light heavyweights of all time and a Hall of Famer. They go out have a ‘Fight of the Night’, an awesome performance, and still he gets overlooked,” said Sonnen.
“Sure I could go up to 205 and I could take Jon Jones’ belt away the same as I could take his candy on Halloween, he’s a little punk kid, I could snatch it away all I want, but there’s something to be said in sportsmanship for earning your shot, and on the 29th of December, I’m going to go through Forrest to do it.”
First he’ll look to rectify his original loss to Griffin from 2003, and then he will look forward to moving up the ranks at light heavyweight.
Sonnen vs. Griffin is the second confirmed fight for the upcoming UFC pay-per-view in December, tentatively scheduled as UFC 155, along with the heavyweight title rematch between champion Junior dos Santos and challenger Cain Velasquez.

[Rob_Floyd]

Interesting...

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXP3z8PQByI[/ame]


I don't think Chael has any hope at 205, but he can try, I suppose. I don't think either guy has the power to put the other away, so either Chael UD or Forrest can pull off another sub. Probably Chael UD.

[caleb_forrest_g]

idk forrest is a massive lightheavy weight, thing he can use that as a huge advantage. triangle lol i hope.

[Matt Ldn]

Think Sonnen UD or possible TKO if its a 5 rounder more due to Griffins decline than anything else. Don't see Sonnen having any success at 205 especially with the number of high quality wrestlers there.

[EL BULLY]

Sonnen V Jones would be a terrible mismatch. When one guy is a legit middleweight and the other a freakishly big LHW and their main discipline is wrestling there is only going to be one winner. No doubt Chael will talk his way into that fight though. If he gets past Griffin I wouldn't be surprised if it was his Jones' next defence, big money and the condenders are getting very thin on the ground IF Jones puts Hendo away.

[Rob_Floyd]

Sonnen is a very big MW. He walks around at 230 between fights, which is about the same as Jones.

Jones just has some freakish dimensions.

[Stoo]

Forrest is trying hard to take Rich's belt in the UFC's Irrelevant Division

[LHL]

Originally Posted by Stoo

Forrest is trying hard to take Rich's belt in the UFC's Irrelevant Division

Rich is a good few fights ahead. I know Forrest beat Rich but I don't think the irrelevant title was on the line.

Will be interesting to see if Sonnen can impose himself on the other big guys at LHW he probably will before he blows his load. I'll go with Sonnen UD mostly down to Forrest looking really really poor of late.

[EL BULLY]

Originally Posted by Rob_Floyd

Sonnen is a very big MW. He walks around at 230 between fights, which is about the same as Jones.

Jones just has some freakish dimensions.

230? Bollocks. No way am I having that.

[thewinfella]

Hard to see Forrest putting Sonnen away on the feet , likewise hard to see Sonnen putting Forrest away on the feet either

Grappling - Sonnen is a better wrestler , but Forrest has a much improved JJ game , he is the better JJ practitioner here IMO

Difficult to see anything but a Sonnen UD , should be an entertaining fight at least

[Stoo]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BQKL_CVe30[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qg66Y3ZJeM[/ame]

[Wilhelm]

I'd say it ends just like their first one and if this were happening right after the shogun fight I'd say Griff for sure since he shows great defense against strikes off his back in that fight. He's had a bunch of fights since though where he gets lit up by a guy in his guard and if he's sloppy like that in this fight he gets beaten up and loses a UD. Sonnen for all the punches he lands in GNP doesn't put people away with them. If Griffin can keep it on the feet though I think he'll beat Sonnen easily.

Is anyone else worried that that last two rounds of this (if it's a five rounder) will be a horrible gasses mess?

[Peter__1987]

Originally Posted by EL BULLY

230? Bollocks. No way am I having that.

Wouldn't surprise me at all.

I Remember somebody putting a pic of Chael between fights on Sherdog a while back and he looked fucking JACKED (comfortable above 220 i would say)

Plus he has a wrestling background, those guys are used to cutting insane amounts of weight.

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Wilhelm

Is anyone else worried that that last two rounds of this (if it's a five rounder) will be a horrible gasses mess?

Cain v JDS is the main event in this one fella so no worries on that front

[thewinfella]

Mike Dolce is a very interesting man to listen too when he's talking nutrition

Very good videos them , cheers Stoo