Chael Sonnen, a prominent figure in mixed martial arts, is a retired fighter, promoter, and analyst. His career began in 1997, and he competed in organizations like the UFC, WEC, Pancrase, and Bellator MMA. He was a top contender in the UFC's light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, even challenging for both titles. Although he never won a major championship, he's considered one of the best to never achieve that feat, and he's widely recognized for his skilled trash-talking.
April 3, 1977: Chael Sonnen's Birth
Chael Sonnen was born on April 3, 1977.
1996: Begins Boxing Training
In 1996, Chael Sonnen began training in boxing, aiming to compete in the UFC after high school.
1997: MMA Debut
Chael Sonnen began his MMA career in 1997.
1997: Early MMA Career
In 1997, at age 19, Sonnen started his MMA career, winning his first six fights before losing to Trevor Prangley.
2000: Greco-Roman World University Championships
Chael Sonnen won a silver medal at the 2000 Greco-Roman World University Championships.
2001: Graduation from University of Oregon
Chael Sonnen graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology in 2001.
2003: Loss to Forrest Griffin
In late 2003, Chael Sonnen was submitted by Forrest Griffin via triangle choke.
May 2006: Bodog Fight Debut
Chael Sonnen debuted for Bodog Fight in May 2006, defeating Tim Credeur via TKO.
December 2007: Controversial Loss to Paulo Filho
In December 2007, Sonnen fought Paulo Filho for the WEC Middleweight Championship, losing via a controversial submission. Sonnen claimed he didn't tap out.
March 26, 2008: Victory over Bryan Baker
On March 26, 2008, Chael Sonnen defeated Bryan Baker via unanimous decision.
November 5, 2008: Victory over Paulo Filho
Sonnen won against Filho on November 5, 2008, via unanimous decision in a non-title match due to Filho's weight issues.
2008: Hypogonadism Diagnosis
Sonnen stated he was diagnosed with hypogonadism in 2008 and began testosterone replacement therapy.
May 2009: Victory over Dan Miller
In May 2009 at UFC 98, Sonnen defeated Dan Miller by unanimous decision, stepping in as a late replacement.
October 24, 2009: UFC 104 Bout
Sonnen fought Yushin Okami at UFC 104 on October 24, 2009, in Los Angeles.
August 7, 2010: Title Fight vs. Anderson Silva
On August 7, 2010, Sonnen challenged Anderson Silva for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 117. Despite dominating the fight, Sonnen lost via submission in the fifth round.
December 2, 2010: Appeal Hearing
Sonnen's appeal hearing regarding his suspension took place on December 2, 2010.
March 2, 2011: Reduced Suspension
Sonnen's suspension was reduced and ended on March 2, 2011.
September 2, 2011: Suspension for High T/E Ratio
Sonnen was suspended until September 2, 2011, for a high testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio after the Silva fight.
2014: MMA Analyst Career Begins
Chael Sonnen started working as an MMA analyst for ESPN in 2014.
July 2016: Submission Underground Founding
In July 2016, Chael Sonnen founded Submission Underground (SUG), a submission grappling promotion.