Chael Sonnen talks 'best performance ever' against Yushin Okami at UFC 104 (Video)

very impressive win for sonnen, another big win and he’s set up for a title shot.

by Jared on Oct 25, 2009 11:45 AM EDT reply actions

Definitely agree. Surprised more people aren’t talking about it considering everyone was loving Okami. Chael dominated that fight completely and manhandled Okami from bell to bell. He needs to show that kinda heart and aggressiveness in to every fight.

by FightFan51 on Oct 25, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

This fight just showed me how much more badass Maia is. Even a beast like Okami gets grinded out by Sonnen, yet the BJJ king simply takes him down and subs him out quick. Okami actually seemed bored in this fight and was content doing the same thing that obviously wasn’t working. This should easily vault Sonnen into the top 5 at MW. For as much as i hate him, the man has true greco game- real world class not joe rogan world class.

by NameNotRequired on Oct 25, 2009 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

wasn’t sonnen like an olympian or something? either way i don’t think saying he needs to be top5 or int he title picture, but a fight with marquardt is a good matchup for him and maybe cote when he’s back, or possible palhares?

maia didn’t exactly just take sonnen down and sub him either he got beat up quite a bit in the fight and if he didn’t get sonnen down when he did was on his way to an ass whoopin, the key to beating a good wrestler is to be a bjj world champion and that was what happened and would not happen again sonnen just was over confident in that fight and thought he could hang on the ground but now everyone knows maia can’t bang

by randy murders on Oct 25, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Maia was on the offensive the whole time. Lateral drop on an Olympian is legit business. He tagged him standing and on the ground with that jab. Sonnen only landed when Maia pushed him into the cage for the clinch even then it was like swating flies. Now all we know is that Maia’s chin might be questionable. “Banging” has nothing to do with crap chin just ask Arlovski.

I like the Marqy matchup. Cote will get grinded out – puncher chance only. Palhares is good too especially with his leglocking abilities and who know might match his wrestling dynamism. Sonnen’s defensive wrestling could keep it standing like but then after that what? He doesn’t have cinder blocks like hendo.

by NameNotRequired on Oct 25, 2009 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Maia is the man, people were bashing Chael but after his last 2 wins it shows how impressive that submission really was. Shame Demian threw a couple of daft head kicks against Nate, hopefully he can make it up against Miller and prove how good he is.

As for Chael he’s proven that he’s a quality wrestler but against someone with excellent BJJ like Palhares he’ll struggle and Nate is too well rounded for him. As impressive a win over Okami is he still has a lot to prove before earning a title shot.

by David W-S on Oct 25, 2009 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

SHOGUN GOT SCREWED!!!!!!!!!!!!

by TaPouT on Oct 25, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe Sonnen was an Olympic team alternate. Even more impressive than that is he is still a real estate agent! Haha.

But on a serious note, Sonnen said Maia has serious power – I think he said Maia almost knocked him out from the bottom.

Think he would get WORKED by Ace though.

by WB on Oct 26, 2009 12:31 AM EDT up reply actions

I have always said sonnen was Hot-Garbage. But after this performance I am officially upgrading him to Luke-warm waste. It was a great performance but I need to see at least one more outing like that before I’m sold on him as a contender. But he is definitely on the right track.

by Cole on Oct 26, 2009 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I cant stand Chael, but will admit that he looked good. Lost a lot of money on Okami!

by john G on Oct 26, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions

good striking and im suprised he threw around one of the biggest middleweights arounds like he was small..

by guyverbob on Oct 25, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

for sure man, a huge number of mma fans felt okami deserved a title shot and sonnen dominated him. definately adds huge credit to sonnen and i dont see how he’s not in the title picture now

by Jared on Oct 25, 2009 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

He needs to bring*

by FightFan51 on Oct 25, 2009 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

What beef does Franklin have with Quest?

by IrishKev on Oct 25, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

rosholt vs okami
sonnen vs marquardt
leben vs james irvin (if he still wants to fight at 185)

by randy murders on Oct 25, 2009 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

i forgot all about sonnen..then he impressed the hell outta me..thought that okami was gonna neutralize his strength..but instead he got worked…great fight.

by sarah on Oct 25, 2009 11:52 AM EDT reply actions

I dont like Sonnen he talks like a douche bag/tool and thinks way to highly of himself. With that being said, his win was pretty impressive.
Also, what I don’t get is how at the beginning he says if you don’t know how to hype a fight you will always be on the undercard, but then says he says he doesn’t fight to be on TV. YEah, that makes a lot of sense. What a roundmouth.

by El Mexicutioner, Formerly The Mexicutioner on Oct 25, 2009 11:59 AM EDT reply actions

He said that the only thing that is important to him is winning the belt. I think he means that you get a chance to fight on the main card and eventually for the championship, not just because of your record, but because the fans are excited to see you fight. That is why he thinks it is important to hype a fight. Not just to be on TV, but for the fans to want to see you fight for the championship.

by DrPepper on Oct 26, 2009 1:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I picked Yushin to win. Never been a fan of Sonnen, but man he was all over Yushin like a cheap suit!!! I thought this was the best performance by a fighter last night, Sonnen was a machine, non-stop and his tempo did not seem to slow down either, he just went full out for the whole fight!!!!!

by Spyder on Oct 25, 2009 11:59 AM EDT reply actions

he looked good have him fight another top 10 fighter but wins against miller and okami back to back is no joke

by bryant on Oct 25, 2009 12:28 PM EDT reply actions

Anybody that can manhandle Okami like that, has definitely moved up in that division. That was a great performance.

by Kung Foo on Oct 25, 2009 12:35 PM EDT reply actions

Sonnen vs Drwal next?

by braveheart on Oct 25, 2009 12:43 PM EDT reply actions

nah… i was not sonnen… it was okami… terrible performance by him… he did nothing the entire fight… and sonnen has a horrible stand up…

by toastedsub on Oct 25, 2009 12:54 PM EDT reply actions

not really, okami stood with rich franklin and sonnen won on the feet only getting hit like once, and he did’nt even get rocked. also i think its dumb to say he has terrible stand up..

by guyverbob on Oct 25, 2009 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

nah… ’’it’’ was not…

by toastedsub on Oct 25, 2009 12:54 PM EDT reply actions

I had no idea Franklin has some beef with Team QUEST. But if you think about it…he has fought almost all the team quest guys and was talked about fighting matt linland back in the day. He fought Dan henderson and Nate quarry. Does anyone know anymore details in to this?

by santiago69us on Oct 25, 2009 2:08 PM EDT reply actions

No idea. Although it did make me think about something Randy Couture (who I thnk was part of TQ at the time, I think) said on TUF4 when Rich Franklin came in as a guest coach for a few days. One of the fighters was just chatting to Randy and said something along the lines of “haha, we all know you’re not a fan of Franklin” and Randy says “haha, no not really”.

Or something along those lines. REALLY paraphrased.
I wonder if it’s related.

by Tim on Oct 26, 2009 4:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Maia vs sonnen rematch

by J.Mile on Oct 25, 2009 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

Maia, Maia, Maia…Maia needs to lose 15 lbs.
He’ll get a title shot a lot sooner at WW IMO.
With (cheat)SP’s predelication for the ground game, Maia might be the guy to give the WW Champ a battle.
(cheat) = G

by talkman on Oct 25, 2009 3:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Very clever. Oh wait, that made no sense at all.

FAIL

by Beej on Oct 25, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions

That fight will end the same, Chael is a great wrestler who gets submitted by great BJJ specialists. Maia has Chael’s number, he’s already proven that he can get the fight to the ground and Sonnen won’t stand a chance off his back against Demian.

by David W-S on Oct 25, 2009 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Sonnen looked great. He always brings it… & a lot of his losses were close. I’m happy for him & hope he can get the matchup with Franklin.

by erba on Oct 25, 2009 5:05 PM EDT reply actions

Chael really impressed me last night. I like how driven and focused he is. I would be interested in him fight Marquardt or Franklin.

by subwayy2sallyy on Oct 25, 2009 5:50 PM EDT reply actions

Sonnen should fight the winner of Kang vs. Bisping. Thoughts?

by Red on Oct 25, 2009 6:06 PM EDT reply actions

good idea, bbut i think he might need to fight nate, this was a high up there middle weight fight..

by guyverbob on Oct 25, 2009 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I see what your saying guyverbob. I forgot that Nate won’t fight Henderson anymore. Question is whether Nate fights for the belt right after Silva vs. Belfort or will he have to fight a guy like Chael.