Chael Sonnen comments on 2021 hotel brawl ahead of ESPN return: ‘There were only nine of them’
Chael Sonnen will make his long-awaited return to the ESPN analyst’s desk for Saturday’s highly anticipated UFC 291 pay-per-view.
‘The American Gangster’ has been absent from broadcasts dating back to December 2021 when he was cited following an altercation in a Las Vegas hotel. Sonnen allegedly attacked multiple patrons before turning his attention to the responding security team members. Shortly after, Sonnen was suspended by ESPN.
Recently, Sonnen pleaded no-contest to “breaking the peace” and was ordered to pay a $750 fine. He will not do any jail time as a result of the plea deal.
Speaking with MMA Junkie ahead of his return to the desk, Chael Sonnen was asked if he ever thought his role with ESPN was gone for good following his legal issues.
“I drive a fancy pickup truck, they think I’m a rapper, they pull me over, shake me down,” Sonnen said. “It’s just things that I have to deal with and more of that for 16 months…it’s probably not gonna be over. The world’s not a fair place, but there’s nobody stronger than Chael P…
“They hired me, they fired me, I’m still the toughest son of a b*tch in the business…there were only nine of them, those aren’t very good numbers, they were outmatched from jump street.”
The “nine of them” that Sonnen refers to could be a reference to the other individuals involved in the alleged scuffle.
Whether you love him or hate him, Chael Sonnen’s brash persona has made him a viable asset to any combat sports broadcast. During his time away from the ESPN desk, ‘The American Gangster’ has stayed busy, appearing for Bellator MMA and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. He also regularly produces content for his Beyond the Fight series on YouTube with more than 1.1 million subscribers.
