Exclusive Interview with Chael Sonnen

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Inside Fights Exclusive Interview with Chael Sonnen

Chael “The Fastest White Man Alive” Sonnen is a wrestler and MMA fighter from West Linn, Oregon. He is a member of Team Quest, along with with such internationally renowned fighters as former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Randy Couture, Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner, and PRIDE middleweight champion Dan Henderson. Chael Sonnen has a 15-8-1 record in professional MMA competition. He has fought all over the world, and is bringing his talents and work ethic to billionaire Calvin Ayre’s new fight promotion, Bodog Fights.

You can see Sonnen’s impressive fight with Thug-Jitsu practitioner “Crazy” Tim Credeur for free on Bodog’s website The Bodog Fight site is loaded with free fights and behind the scenes footage. There’s also a hilarious interview with Sonnen where he explains why Republicans don’t like to work from the guard.

The promotion is coming to Vancouver, BC, Canada for their first ever PPV on Saturday, December 2. Inside Fights is proud to be able to bring you full coverage of this exciting event, starting with this exclusive interview. Sonnen is currently in training for his fight against Russian Red Devil team member Aleksi Oleinik, but he was willing to take the time to answer several questions.

About You

 What led you to compete in MMA? 
I’ve always thought sports was a way to find out who was the toughest.  MMA answers that question.

 Who are some of the people who’ve helped you along the way?

My coach Roy Pittman taught me to work hard and to set goals.  He taught me how to wrestle.  My current teammates and Coach and of course my parents.

Note: Roy Pittman is one of the top wrestling coaches in America. He was awarded The Lifetime Service to Wrestling honors by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. You can read more bout Roy here.

 What are your greatest strengths as a fighter?
I work hard and I’m not afraid of failure.  I’m willing to accept different challenges.

 What weaknesses, if any, do you perceive yourself as having in the ring? 
There are very few things that I don’t see as a weakness.  I have to improve to get to the top.

 A number of your teammates have taken part in the Ultimate Fighter reality show? How has the sudden fame affected their personalities?
 
They have changed, but not in a bad way.  I think they are just enjoying life a little more and they are proud of themselves, I’m proud of them too.
 
How would you compare Bodog Fight’s show with TUF?

They are mirror images athletically, but Bodog’s production can’t be compared to.
 
How does your family feel about what you’ve chosen to do with your life?
 
They are supportive and proud.  Of course that has little to do with fighting.  I have not choose fighting as what I’m “doing with my life.”Ã‚  Fighting is for hobby and for entertainment, it doesn’t better the World or give back to society.  I don’t think of myself as a fighter, I’m just a man who happens to fight.
 
What are your hobbies and interests outside of fighting?
I love different foods and I’m a big movie buff.  I like to relax and I try to give back by coaching a youth team in wrestling, keeps me very busy.
 
When I Googled your name, I got an IMDB entry for a Chael Sonnen that appeared on an episode of Law and Order. Was that you? How did that opportunity arise? What was it like? 

That was me, yes.  I was picked by a UFC Judge named Douglas Crosby.  There was a fight scene and he asked if I would do it.  It was an interesting experience. 
 
 
About Training
 
What can you tell us about training with Team Quest?
Nothing that would impress you.  We show up, work hard, go home, do it again the next day.  It’s not rocket science.
 
What’s it like to roll with Randy Couture, Rulon Gardner, and Dan Henderson? 
I’m not sure what “roll” means, but training with those guys is just fine.  Randy is the best training partner because you can trust him completely.  In all his years he has NEVER hurt anybody in practice.  Can’t say the same thing for Henderson.
 
In training, do you focus more energy on trying to fine tune the strong points of your game, or on trying to bring up whatever areas might need improving?
Strong points.  There’s to many options out there.  If I try something and I don’t get it right I just move on, I don’t try to do it better.  “If you can’t fix it, forget it.”
 
The majority of your losses have come by submission. Is submission defense something that you have been focusing on in your training? 
No, I have never been caught in a submission.  I’ve only lost one fight that I accept.  I threw the rest.
 
Do you train differently for different opponents? Does training with a large camp help at all? 
I’d sure like to be able to train for different opponents, but I can never find tape on the guy I’m going to face.  We don’t have a very large team, I can’t think of a time when there has ever been more than 12 guys in the room at once.  We usually have between 6-8.  As long as I have my Coach I’m fine.
 
Do your training change as fight day approaches, how so, and how far out from a fight do these changes take effect? 
The last couple of days I will just focus on making weight.  The rest of the time is the same.
 
What is your diet like? Do you use supplements? 
I’ve tried every supplement of the off chance that it might work, none do.
 
 About Fighting


 
What is your routine on the day of a fight? 
I sleep as long as I can.  I rest the whole day and I don’t eat a bite until after the match.
 
Is strategy important? Is it more important for you to use your strengths or to exploit the weaknesses of your opponents? Do you tend to try and impose your will, or do you tend to take what you are given?
Again, this isn’t rocket science it’s an ass whipping contest.  Guys like to sit around and try to intellectualize fighting, but at the end of the day it’s a barbaric sport and requires very little planning.  Put your hands up, walk towards your opponent.
 
About Bodog Fight
 
How would you compare fighting for Bodog with fighting for the UFC? 
It’s the only event that can compare to the UFC.

I’ll never turn on the UFC like most guys do after they leave.  I’m very grateful to the UFC and my gratitude in no ways makes me disloyal to Bodog.  Bodog is UFC friendly.  What I mean is that the brass with Bodog loves the UFC, as oppose to always talking about besting the UFC like every other new organization that springs up.  When we were in Costa Rica the Bodog staff scrambled to get a viewing room set up so we could watch the premier of TUF.  I respect that.  The UFC set the table and Bodog has no problem acknowledging that.  As far as treatment I have no complaints, then again I don’t need to be treated in any special way.  I’m not a primadonna I’m a competitor.  I’ve competed on dirt floors in Istanbul before, so you’d be hard pressed to get me to complain.
 
How much time did you spend in Costa Rica, and how did you enjoy it?
About 7 days.  The trip was fine, I was 18 pounds over weight when I landed so I didn’t do anything fun, just business.
 
What were the accommodations, facilities, and food like?  It was the nicest place I have ever stayed at.  5 star Marriot on the water.  The food was great and served all day long.
 
What was it like training and fighting down there?
I didn’t train while I was there.  I showed up ready to go, no more preparation was needed.  Fighting was just fine, 17 foot ring with 4 ropes, could have been anywhere.
 
Were you satisfied with how your fight against Timothy Credeur went?

Yeah I was, Tim was such a good guy and so dang funny to be around.  He’s very dangerous and the longer the fight goes the more opportunity he had to win.  I was pleased with myself that night.
 
About Your Upcoming Fight
 
How much do you know about Aleksi Oleinik? Have you seen him in action?
I know he’s Russian and I know I’ve been whipped by plenty of Russians in wrestling.  I really can’t think of a tougher culture especially when the former USSR still existed.  I haven’t seen him fight.  I know he likes to bow.  My father told me to never bow.  He told me to leave honor to the Asians.  “When it’s time to fight, fight, and fight so hard that that guy will never want to fight you again.”Ã‚  That’s what I believe in.
 
How much can you tell us about your game plan going into this fight?
Again this isn’t a sophicticated topic.  First I’m going to ask him if he’d like to leave the ring and we can just forget this whole thing ever happened.  If diplomacy fails, I’m going have to put hands to him.

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Gordi is a former professional wrestler who has been following MMA since the very first UFC tournament. Gordi's been part of the Inside Pulse family from day one. He and his wife are currently preparing to move to Japan.