Chael Sonnen gets HEATED when asked about Chuck Liddell’s recent fight challenge. Looks like there might be another legends fight in store for ‘The American Gangster.’
Some time ago now, former UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell posted an interesting picture on Instagram. Showing a ripped physique and a determined look in his eye, Liddell’s comments stoked rumors of a comeback.
Around the same time, Chael Sonnen was actually making his big return. Although ‘The American Gangster’ was coming back from a two-year drug suspension, his comeback was still highly anticipated.
Facing Tito Ortiz under the Bellator banner, Sonnen lost by submission. He would get back to winning ways at Bellator 180, though, shutting out his fierce rival Wanderlei Silva over three rounds.
Here’s where Sonnen and Liddell’s stories intertwine. Earlier this week, Liddell made a point of calling out Sonnen, claiming he’d be an ‘easy fight’ for his comeback. Needless to say, Sonnen was not pleased.
Sonnen Goes Gangster on Liddell
Speaking during his ‘You’re welcome’ podcast, via MMAfighting.com, former UFC contender Chael Sonnen went in on ‘The Iceman.’ He claims Liddell has turned down two fights with him already. ‘The American Gangster’ says he’s happy to fight Liddell on his return:
I will fight you right now Chuck. This was my idea. I’m the one that suggested you come in on my legends ass-whipping tour and be my crowning moment. That’s the truth. Chuck does not have a contract with any organization.
Bellator would sign him and would make that fight and did sit down with him and told him that but he didn’t sign. Instead he went back to TMZ and pretended he wanted the fight.
“I just won a super-fight over the weekend against a three-time world champion meanwhile Chuck is walking around Beverly Hills with a haircut that looks like he lost a bet.
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What am I supposed to say? I can’t say yes any clearer. I don’t know how to speak any clearer than I am to you right now. I will fight Chuck right now. I will fight him next Saturday, the Saturday after that, the month after that, he can pick the day, he can pick the weight class, he can pick the rules, purse, anything. He’s said some stuff about ‘Chael just wants a big payday.’ My contract’s set. I’m getting a big payday either way.
“Chuck, the answer is yes. You’re the one that said no, you’re the one that said no a second time, you’re the one that’s pretending you want the fight. I’m fine with all of it but I don’t know what his endgame is. It’s not like he’s got sponsors so he’s trying to keep them out there. Who’s gonna sponsor him, some rehab clinic? It’s Chuck Liddell. This isn’t 1994 when the guy had a little bit of glory to his name.”
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“At the same time that [Chuck] didn’t say yes, he’s still in the gym training so I still believe there’s gonna be this Chuck comeback, I just don’t know where it’s gonna be. If it’s gonna be against me, it has to be in Bellator.
“The likely suspects for me: throw Fedor in there, throw Chuck in there, that’s the one I thought it was gonna be. I would like to fight Chuck, but the air has been taken out of my ball on that. I don’t believe that is going to happen. Then you’ve got Tito in there. Let’s just see what happens. It would be a lot shorter of a list if I told you who I didn’t want to fight.”
