Fighter Details
- Given Name: Chael Patrick Sonnen
- Pro MMA Record: 30-17-1 (Win-Loss-Draw)
- Nickname: N/A
- Current Streak: 2 Losses
- Age: 1977-04-03 | Date of Birth: 1977.04.03
- Last Fight: June 14, 2019 in BFC
- Weight Class: Light Heavyweight | Last Weigh-In: 205.6 lbs
- Affiliation: American Top Team Portland
- Height: 6'1" (186cm) | Reach: 74.0" (188cm)
- Career Disclosed Earnings: $1,091,250 USD
- Born: Milwaukie, Oregon, United States
- Fighting out of: West Linn, Oregon
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Fighter Links:
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Personal Links:
Worldwide Rankings Rankings FAQ
Regional Rankings Rankings FAQ
Chael Sonnen is ineligible for regional rankings due to inactivity.
Fighters must have at least one completed MMA bout in the past two years to be ranked.
Gyms & Affiliations
Chael Sonnen MMA Fight Record
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KO/TKO7 wins, 7 lossesWL23% of wins41% of losses
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Submission4 wins, 9 lossesWL13% of wins53% of losses
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Decision19 wins, 1 lossWL63% of wins6% of losses
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2005TO20137win7loss0draw0no contest-25--29%71%-KO/TKOSUBDECISIONDQ43%57%--34--
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2017TO20192win3loss0draw0no contest--2---100%-KO/TKOSUBDECISIONDQ67%33%--21--
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2004TO20083win1loss0draw0no contest--3---100%-KO/TKOSUBDECISIONDQ-100%---1--
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Billing: Main EventDuration: 5 x 2 minWeight: 216 lbs (98.0 kg)Odds: +400 · Heavy Underdog
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30-16-1 25-8-02019.06.14add_circle
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30-15-1 37-5-02018.10.13add_circle
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UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida · Sonnen Failed Random Drug TestWeight: Light Heavyweight · 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
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UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida · Silva Skipped MedicalsWeight: Light Heavyweight · 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
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UFC Fight Night · Bout RescheduledWeight: Light Heavyweight · 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
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UFC 173: Barao vs. Dillashaw · Bout RescheduledWeight: Light Heavyweight · 205 lbs (93.0 kg)
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28-13-1 18-3-12013.11.16add_circle
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27-13-1 21-7-02013.08.17add_circle
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27-12-1 17-1-02013.04.27add_circle
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27-11-1 31-4-02012.07.07add_circle
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UFC 147: Silva vs. Franklin 2 · Bout RescheduledWeight: Middleweight · 185 lbs (83.9 kg)Odds: +230 · Moderate Underdog
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UFC on FOX 2 · Munoz Elbow InjuryWeight: Middleweight · 185 lbs (83.9 kg)Odds: -275 · Moderate Favorite
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25-11-1 11-3-02011.10.08add_circle
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25-10-1 28-4-02010.08.07add_circleTitle Bout: Challenger · UFC Middleweight ChampionshipBilling: Main EventDuration: 5 x 5 Minute RoundsWeight: Middleweight · 185 lbs (83.9 kg) · Weigh-In 185.0 lbs (83.9 kgs)Odds: +350 · Moderate UnderdogReferee: Josh RosenthalDisclosed Pay: $95,000 ($35K Base, $60K Fight/Night)UFC 117 Fight of the Night
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23-10-1 24-4-02009.10.24add_circle
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22-10-1 11-1-02009.05.23add_circle
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22-9-1 10-0-02009.02.21add_circle
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18-8-1 24-7-02007.07.14add_circle
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12-6-1 4-0-02005.02.26add_circle
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Weight: Light Heavyweight · 198 lbs (90.0 kg)
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11-5-1 17-6-12004.10.21add_circle
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9-2-1 8-2-12004.03.13add_circle
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7-1-1 7-1-02003.09.06add_circle
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Billing: Main CardDuration: 3 x 5 Minute RoundsWeight: Light Heavyweight · 198 lbs (90.0 kg)
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0-0-0 0-2-01997.05.10add_circleBilling: Main CardDuration: 10 min one roundWeight: Heavyweight · 265 lbs (120.0 kg)
Chael Sonnen News View All
Videos & Highlights
Interview | Chael Sonnen thinks the light heavyweight division is a joke report dead link
Chael Sonnen tells Fight! Magazine exactly what he thinks about the light heavyweight division.
Interview | NSAC Hearing: Chael Sonnen Suspension report dead link
Watch Chael Sonnen's Licensing Hearing with the NSAC.
Wiki
Chael Sonnen Wiki
Born in Milwaukie, Oregon, Sonnen grew up in West Linn, Oregon and began wrestling from a young age. He attended West Linn High School, where he was a state runner-up. In 1996, Sonnen began training in boxing, with the hope of competing in the UFC upon graduating from high school.
After high school, Sonnen attended Brigham Young University before transferring to the University of Oregon when BYU began considering cutting their wrestling program. At Oregon, Sonnen earned All-American honors, was a two-time PAC-10 runner-up, a silver medalist at the 2000 Greco-Roman World University Championships, and was a two-time Dave Schultz Memorial Institutional Greco-Roman winner. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology.
Sonnen started his mixed martial arts career in 1997 at the age of 19, by defeating Ben Hailey in Vancouver, Washington. He next defeated future ICON Sport Middleweight Champion and Strikeforce Middleweight contenderJason "Mayhem" Miller. He won his first six fights, before losing to Trevor Prangley. In late 2003, he was submitted by future Ultimate Fighter winner and UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin with a triangle choke submission.
Over years, Sonnen fought some of the best fighters in the world at middleweight and light heavyweight, but often came up short against top ten-level opponents. That all changed in 2008, when Sonnen became the first man to defeat Brazilian WEC Middlweight Champion Paulo Filho. The match itself was infamous as Filho came in to heavy, and it became a non title contest. Filho, who had a previous submission victory over Sonnen, seemed crazed in the fight and seemed not to want to fight. He later mailed the belt to Sonnen, as he felt Chael deserved the title, even the the WEC was disbanding its middleweight division.
Although he is not known for his finishing ability—more than half of his career wins have come by way of decision—Sonnen is himself notoriously difficult to finish, and his size, physical strength, tenacity and wrestling skill make him one of the most difficult men to deal with in the middleweight division. Always known for being brash, Sonnen's recent UFC success has only increased his level of chatter.
Following his suspension he would pick up a submission victory over Brian Stann and a close decision over Michael Bisping to earn a rematch with Anderson Silva. After winning the first round in a manner similar to their first fight, Sonnen was stuffed on a takedown in the second round. He then slipped during an attempt to land a spinning back fist, and was hit by a debatable knee, before being finished by the "Spider." Following his second loss at the hands of Silva, Sonnen would look to chase another UFC championship as he moved back to light heavyweight in 2013 to face Jon Jones.
Sonnen would sign on to coach opposite of Jon Jones in the next Ultimate Fighter series with the two of them scheduled to face off on April 27th at UFC 159. His team would win the finale earning Sonnen a Harley Davidson a motorcycle. However the fight against Jones wouldn't turn out in his favor. Chael was finished in the first round with some ground and pound from the champ. After the fight Chael hinted that this could have been his last fight but he had to think it over. He thought it over and would return to the octagon at light heavyweight when he faced off against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at the launch of Fox Sports 1 for Fight Night 26. Sonnen would walk away with a submission win when he caught Shogun in a guillotine in the first round. The win would also earn him Submission of the Night. He would lose his next fight by tko at the hands of Rashad Evans at UFC 167.
Sonnen would coach the Ultimate Fighter for a second time, this time opposite Wanderlei Silva for The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 3. The two have had heated confrontations already and should make for an entertaining bout when finally meet up (after 2 cancelled bouts) at UFC 175: Weidman vs. Machida on July 5th, 2014.
Following a failed drug test in June, 2014, Sonnen was removed from his UFC 175 bout against Vitor Belfort. He summarily announced his retirement from MMA on June 11.
After retiring from active MMA competition Chael has remained active within the martial arts media beginning a podcast and competing in pro grappling including grappling to draw against former opponent Renato 'Babalu' Sobral at 'Metamoris VI' and submission loss to Andre Galvao at 'Metamoris IV'.
On November 11, 2014, ESPNannounced it had hired Sonnen as an MMA analyst. He debuted on November 14, previewing UFC 180.
On May 6, 2015, professional wrestlingpromotion Global Force Wrestling (GFW) announced Sonnen as an "expert analyst" for its future events.On July 24, Sonnen was revealed as part of the announce team for GFW's Ampedprogram.
On September 2, 2015, it was announced that Sonnen signed with theWorld Series of Fighting to become a member of their broadcast team beginning at WSOF 23.
The year after, Sonnen would sign for Bellator as analyst in addition to being a fighter, Sonnen would also do the commentary on various Bellator events. As fighter in Bellator “The Bad Guy” would make his debut against Tito Ortiz in January 2017 on Bellator 170. Sonnen would end up losing this bout via submission in round 1, later that year Sonnen would get his first Bellator victory against Wanderlei Silva in June.
From 2018 to 2019 Sonnen would fight three times, winning against Quinton Jackson by decision before losing to Fedor Emilianenko and Lyoto Machida before hanging up his gloves for the second time. In this period Sonnen also started his “Chael Sonnen” Youtube channel which has accumulated almost 1 million subscribers at the time of writing this wiki update, uploading his first video on the 28th of February, 2018.
Besides running his own Youtube channel Sonnen would also appear on “Ariel & The Bad Guy” alongside ESPN journalist Ariel Helwani. Another succesfull venture of Sonnen is his own submission grappling promotion “Submission Underground” founded in 2016 and presented by Chael Sonnen and UFC Fight Pass.