Chael Sonnen doesn’t assume he’s a real UFC Corridor of Famer.
At UFC 300, Sonnen acquired a nice shock when throughout the principle card broadcast, the promotion introduced that his struggle with Anderson Silva at UFC 117 will likely be inducted into the Corridor of Fame this summer time within the Struggle Wing. However for as touched as he was by the second, “The American Gangster” doesn’t consider he’s a real Corridor of Famer. A minimum of not but.
“Would I take into account [myself a Hall of Famer]? No, I wouldn’t,” Sonnen mentioned Wednesday on The MMA Hour. “You both are otherwise you aren’t. However no, I don’t assume so. I feel you must go in. I don’t assume a struggle can go in [for you]. I don’t assume that makes me a Corridor of Famer, I feel it makes a Corridor of Fame struggle. That’s at all times been my interpretation of it. The fellows that go in individually, I really feel like are in a distinct class.”
Silva is already within the Corridor — inducted to the Pioneer Wing in 2023 — and whether or not he considers himself one or not, Sonnen now joins his previous rival for his or her epic battle, which received Struggle of the Yr honors in 2010.
As has been customized for these kinds of bulletins, the UFC made certain Sonnen was in attendance on the occasion, working as an analyst and character. Sonnen says the precise reveal got here as a whole shock to him.
“I by no means knew,” Sonnen mentioned when recounting the scene. “Hindsight, every little thing is so apparent. I used to be there after they introduced Wanderlei [Silva] in [for his Hall of Fame announcement]. They put him in the identical chair, they introduced him up on the similar level within the present. However no, I didn’t know.
“What I used to be instructed, even the day earlier than, is, ‘We’re going to return and get you and after the second struggle, proper earlier than the BMF, you and Megan [Olivi] are going to go do a reside factor on the significance of the BMF.’ … Then certain sufficient, Megan got here up — and Megan even had a script. And she or he mentioned, ‘Hey, is there something you don’t need me to ask you?’ After which she made notes as I responded to her.
“However the inform was once we went all the way down to the seat, the seat mentioned ‘Chael’ on it. I bear in mind pondering, ‘Wow, for this little tiny spot within the present, their producers are so good that they’ve even obtained a chair marked for me with my title on it.’ That ought to have been the inform, however it wasn’t. I didn’t know and I’m actually glad. It was a really good shock. Very enjoyable second.”
All in all, it was an exquisite second for Sonnen, who was arguably the largest star within the sport throughout the peak of his profession. After the video bundle rolled, Sonnen seemed to be just a little emotional at what simply occurred, however ever in character, “The Unhealthy Man” put that all the way down to shock and awe.
“Not that I do know of,” Sonnen mentioned when requested if he obtained emotional. “I couldn’t hear! Once you’re so shut, you’ll be able to’t hear the acoustics. Apparently Jon Anik made the announcement — and I heard Anik say one thing about August 2010 and the time in California, and I bear in mind pondering, ‘I do know the place I used to be in August in [2010], I do know the time I used to be in Oakland.’ I bear in mind pondering this, however I by no means heard them say, ‘You’re in.’ In order that they have been taking part in the montage and I obtained up and I whispered to Megan, ‘What’s taking place proper now?’ She mentioned, ‘You’re within the Corridor of Fame!’ My goodness! It was an exquisite second. You don’t get stunned very many instances in life, notably as an grownup … it was superior. It was a really enjoyable shock.”
Silva and Sonnen be a part of UFC champions Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Frankie Edgar, and former Pleasure champion Wanderlei Silva as 2024 Corridor of Fame inductees, and will likely be inducted throughout the 2024 UFC Corridor of Fame ceremony on June 27 at T-Cell Area, in Las Vegas.
