"It's a lot harder fight than I thought I was going to have. I didn't think I was going to have the #6 guy in the world right out of the gate," Sonnen said candidly.
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"That's a really hard match, and that's a really great guy," continued Sonnen. "We have to meet up at some point; we're ranked very close to each other. That fight is going to happen at some point whether I want to do it or not."
He continues with the respectful stance:...
"That's a really hard match, and that's a really great guy," continued Sonnen. "We have to meet up at some point; we're ranked very close to each other. That fight is going to happen at some point whether I want to do it or not."
"I wasn't ready for a Brian Stann style fight; I was ready to take on a Wanderlei or a Machida or something like that. I'll need to sit down and reevaluate and up the intensity, that's for sure.
"He's doing such a good job. Rewind to his match with Chris Leben. I really would have lost whatever they would let me bet; I would have lost it all. I thought Leben would beat him.
"I think Stann's an awesome guy. I didn't think he could get by Leben. Nobody has dominated Chris Leben like that — ever — in his entire career. That was kind of like an "Oh Wow" moment when I saw that in my living room. That was a special performance.
"Then they gave him a really easy fight after that, and he went out and did some more great things. Even an easy fight, you've still got to go do the fight, and he did. He's really good."
But when asked point-blank if Stann was going to escape his patented trash talk, Chael made it clear that he's not going to skate completely:"He's doing such a good job. Rewind to his match with Chris Leben. I really would have lost whatever they would let me bet; I would have lost it all. I thought Leben would beat him.
"I think Stann's an awesome guy. I didn't think he could get by Leben. Nobody has dominated Chris Leben like that — ever — in his entire career. That was kind of like an "Oh Wow" moment when I saw that in my living room. That was a special performance.
"Then they gave him a really easy fight after that, and he went out and did some more great things. Even an easy fight, you've still got to go do the fight, and he did. He's really good."
"I wouldn't count on that," Sonnen answered with a snicker when asked if he was planning on toning down the trash talk. As for whether he's worried that his verbal barrages may alienate fans who idolize the decorated former Marine?
"Well, any statement's true if you throw the word may in there. We may be doing this interview from Mars right now. We may not wake up. Anything is true if you include the word may."
We'll see how things go in the lead-up to UFC 136 on October 8th. Will Chael keep quiet? I'm leaning towards an emphatic no."Well, any statement's true if you throw the word may in there. We may be doing this interview from Mars right now. We may not wake up. Anything is true if you include the word may."
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