Chael Sonnen: Georges St. Pierre requested his UFC 167 presence because he's the 'biggest star in the business'

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While we still don't know the identity of the mystery $5 Million Man in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre -- one of the biggest pay-per-view (PPV) draws in mixed martial arts (MMA) today -- is certainly on the short list of possibilities.

So, too, is Chael Sonnen, who recently informed Sherdog's Beatdown Radio that the reason he's featured in the co-main event at UFC 167, which takes place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Nov. 16, 2013, is because "Rush" requested his participation.

That's because when two of the top PPV draws in the sport join forces to carry a card, it's a win-win situation for all parties involved monetarily-wise.

Sonnen breaks it down:

"I'm on this card because Georges St. Pierre requested I was on this card. Georges, much like me, is on the pay-per-view. He wants to make as much [money] as he can. I'm the biggest star in this business, and he called Dana White and he said, ‘Dana, if you want me to fight Johny Hendricks, you've got to put Chael Sonnen on the card.' And so I agreed to do it. I worked out with Georges two weeks ago and I did not ask him that, but that's what I was told and I took it as a compliment. If he didn't say it, I guess I'll look like a fool and be a little disappointed because I appreciated that he did."

Sonnen will battle friend and FOX Sports 1 colleague, Rashad Evans, in a pivotal Light Heavyweight showdown, while St. Pierre attempts to defend his 170-pound world title against Johny Hendricks in the main event of the evening.

UFC 167, promotion's 20th Anniversary PPV show, will undoubtedly register solid PPV buy rates, fattening the pockets of all qualified parties who earn a slice of the action. However, without one of Sonnen's most effective promotional weapons, his sharp tongue, one has to wonder how much money will be left on the table.

Then again, even if it doesn't touch the estimated (and coveted) 1 million PPV mark like UFC 148 (more details here), which company president Dana White has often referred to as a "lottery ticket," St. PIerre will likely appreciate the extra juice.

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