UFC: UNMISSABLE The funniest Chael Sonnen interview with Canadian television

Sonnen was a guest on Off The Record, the longest-running sports talk show on Canadian television. It airs on TSN, the Canadian equivalent of ESPN. Sonnen exploded on host Michael Landsberg, who was caught off guard. The interview got off to a poor start when Sonnen warned Landsberg to moderate his tone.

Landsberg had opened the interview by suggesting that Sonnen had “backed down” from Anderson Silva by supposedly withdrawing the offer he had made to Anderson Silva after beating Brian Stann at UFC 136.

Sonnen had made Anderson a ‘loser leaves town’ offer to Silva, who was ringside at UFC 136, after defeating Brian Stann yet when Silva stayed silent for weeks afterwards, Sonnen said the offer was no longer valid.

The insinuation made Sonnen rise. Once up, there was no backing down. “You’re telling me I backed down? That’s garbage. How do you say things like, ‘I hear you backed down?’ Here I am looking to pick a fight with Anderson and I backed down? I stood there big and tall while he covered his mouth like a little fruity boy, and you’re gonna come on ESPN and say I backed down while I give you a free interview?” he raged.

“He’s the one that backed down – how could you even say something so stupid? Why don’t you go and try and get a free interview with Anderson Silva and see how that works for you? You’re going to tell me that I backed down? Offers expire, it didn’t work, he didn’t accept it, so its not that I backed down but I need to make a new offer.”

UFC: The funniest Chael Sonnen interview with Canadian television

UFC 136: Brilliant Chael Sonnen rips Brian Stann apart on the ground

On a brilliant night of fights, arguably one of the best UFC events ever staged for dramatic showdowns, Chael Sonnen was just imperious, stamping himself back into contention for a middleweight title re-match with Anderson Silva, of Brazil. Sonnen submitted Brian Stann by arm triangle in the second round after a wrestling clinic. Sonnen came straight out, going for Stann, got the takedown, and eventually gained side control.

So funny,too. Sonnen had said of the War Hero: "He's an American hero he's gonna get a red, white and blue ass-whipping". Sonnen did exactly that, wrestling the life out of Stann, who was tested to the core on the ground. Sonnen was utterly dominant on the ground, and at one point in round two, with Sonnen in control, there was a terrible decision by the referee to stand them up. It might have cost Sonnen the fight, but he slammed Stann straight into side control. One of the great characters in MMA – Sonnen immediately called out Silva. "Anderson Silva, you suck." He challenged UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva to a loser leaves town match on Super Bowl weekend. It is likely to be one of the biggest selling pay per view events in the history of MMA.

UFC 136 Telegraph Picks as Houston blasts off with Frankie Edgar Jose Aldo and Chael Sonnen

TELEGRAPH PICKS

EDGAR, ALDO, SONNEN, PHAN, LAUZON, MAIA, PETTIS

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: United States Anthony Pettis vs. United States Jeremy Stephens

Middleweight bout: Brazil Demian Maia vs. Brazil Jorge Santiago

Main card

Lightweight bout: United States Melvin Guillard vs. United States Joe Lauzon

Featherweight bout: United States Leonard Garcia vs. United States Nam Phan

Middleweight bout: United States Chael Sonnen vs. United States Brian Stann

Featherweight Championship bout: Brazil José Aldo (c) vs. United States Kenny Florian

Lightweight Championship bout: United States Frankie Edgar (c) vs. United States Gray Maynard

Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard meet in a rematch of their January title bout which was declared a split draw. Maynard dominated the first round before Edgar rebounded to get a draw. Should Edgar defeat Maynard, it will be his third straight lightweight title defence, equalling the feat of BJ Penn, who equals that in the UFC history of lightweight fights. Maynard remains the only fighter to have defeated Edgar (in a non title fight in 2008), and dominated the first round of their title fight before Edgar rebounded to earn the draw and retain his belt. The rematch was scheduled to take place in May, but both fighters pulled out with injuries. So, finally, they are set again, in Houston, Texas…

Gray Maynard, meanwhile, and indeed, Kenny Florian – fighting at featherweight, his fourth weight division – both seek to become the fourth and fifth Ultimate Fighter participants to win a UFC title. For Florian, it is his third, and probably last, shot at a UFC title as challenger. He has distinct reach and height advantages over Jose Aldo, the livewire champion from Brazil. Since The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale, Florian is 0-3 in title and number-one contender bouts, while 12-0 in all his other fights in the UFC. Is Ken-Flo just a tad short of championship material ? We will find out tonight, when he puts it all on the line. He must do against Aldo.

Aldo makes his second title defence, and fourth, if you include the time he held the belt during his reign in the WEC, before it merged after being bought out by Zuffa, owners of the WEC. Also has not been beaten in the last five years, has been on a run of 12 straight victories, nine of which have been by knockout.

Hugely significant on this card, too, is the return of Chael Sonnen – for the first time since dominating middleweight champion Anderson Silva for four rounds before losing with a minute to go by submission in August 2010. Sonnen was suspended twice for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, which he disputed. His opponent, the All-American war hero Brian Stann, looks to improve to 4-0 since dropping to middleweight. The winner is expected to earn a middleweight title shot against Silva.