Chael Sonnen in video on YouTube. Photo: Reproduction/Youtube
The Global Fight League (GFL) has spared no effort in bringing together big names in MMA. The league has been banking on veterans of the sport, including returning stars such as Mauricio Shogun, Chris Weidman e Fabricio Werdum. However, one of the greatest icons of MMA, Chael Sonnen, revealed that the company also approached him, but he decided to decline the invitation.
In an interview with the website 'Uncrowned', the former fighter explained the reasons that led him to put an end to his return to the cage, highlighting that, for him, the time had come to stop. For the former fighter, the decision was simple: there comes a point in one's career when moving on no longer makes sense.
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“Yeah, they called me. Financially, maybe I should have said yes. There was a bonus for signing. But there’s a point where it’s weird. There’s a point where fighting is really cool, and your friends look at you like you’re really cool, and you go to the coffee shop and they look at you like you’re cool. There’s a point where it’s weird. I’ve seen some guys, and I won’t name them, who are 40 years old, 41 years old, who have fought. I remember thinking, ‘Put your clothes on. You’re taking your shirt off, putting on a mouth guard, but you’re fine with this guy.’ At some point, it’s weird. That’s why I turned it down. There’s a point where you have to stop,” Sonnen said.
Chael Sonnen turned down GFL, but likes the idea…
However, the veteran also made a point of praising the GFL. Despite not accepting the invitation, Sonnen acknowledged the good work the league did in creating an innovative concept and highlighted the quality of its presentation. He particularly mentioned a promotional video in which Tyron woodley appears as a modern superhero, praising the production and the effort to stand out from the sameness that often marks the world of MMA competitions.
“Their presentation, where they made that little video for social media where Tyron woodley appeared as a superhero, it was really cool from a production standpoint. To try to take something as simple as martial arts and what people already have a certain level of expectations for, but to differentiate themselves and make it seem different, I think they succeeded. It pains me to say this, because I would love to just criticize. I thought that, for what they did, which is still very small, they had a good start. I thought it was good. I showed it to people,” said Sonnen, demonstrating a critical but at the same time respectful look at GFL’s new proposal.
Chael Sonnen is a name impossible to ignore when talking about MMA. The American was part of the biggest MMA organizations, such as UFC and Bellator, and became famous for his fights against names like Anderson Silva, Jon Jones e Tito Ortiz. Even after retirement, the 'Gangster' remained present in the world of sports, taking on roles as a commentator and even venturing into exhibition fights, such as the boxing match against Anderson Silva in 2023.
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