Chael Sonnen was a self-made superstar who talked his way into becoming a marquee attraction with over-the-top arrogance and rewrote the book on villainy in mixed martial arts.
The outspoken Oregon native made his MMA debut on May 10, 1997 and announced his retirement on June 14, 2019. During the 22-plus years that elapsed in between, Sonnen compiled a 31-17-1 record and tested himself against many of the sport’s all-time greats. Among them were 11 former Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships titleholders, including Fedor Emelianenko, Quinton Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz and Michael Bisping.