Bad Guy, Undefeated, Biggest Biceps in West Linn and now ‘Ultimate’ Coach Chael Sonnen denied GFL draft
Chael Sonnen, the newest link in The Ultimate Fighter reality series, knew ahead of time about the 2025 GFL Draft, but decided not to go.
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New coach for the The Ultimate Fighter, Chael Sonnen, denied 2025 GFL Draft invite (Source: X/IMAGO)
Don’t look for Chael Sonnen to come out of retirement, not even for the Global Fight League. The recent 2025 GFL Draft has scooped up a lot of his peers, past and present. This includes the likes of Chris Weidman, Urijah Faber, and Chad Mendes. But Sonnen isn’t like a slew of other UFC/MMA veterans. He is now the ultimate coach on The Ultimate Fighter.
Long-time UFC veteran Tony Ferguson is a hot drop in the 2025 GFL Draft LA team pick. Tyron Woodley was the biggest overall pick. Other notables like Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis, and Paige VanZant have all confirmed their part and receiving big buck checks in offers. Despite the offer, Chael Sonnen said why he won’t go.
Please, did they try to get Chael Sonnen? They are still trying to get Chael Sonnen…It would be irresponsible – like I don’t mind when those phone calls come in…What I would mind is if that phone call wasn’t placed…I’m not going to fight, and it isn’t because I look at that roster and don’t see some names that pop off the page like man, I’d really like to fight that guy, …I’ve seen a lot of relics – they were 40 and they were 42, when I would watch them fight. I would go, ‘What are you doing? There’s nothing cool about that
Chael Sonnen to MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn
The UFC isn’t looking to sign another 37 to 40-year-old; “Bad Guy” asks then why should any other fledgling promotion? Not uncommon for the rough instigator to say the hard stuff. GFL’s rosters are filled with aging fighters past their best squeeze.
‘Undefeated, Undisputed’ Chael Sonnen, 47, will not be one of them. Hence, he said no to the 2025 GFL Draft. His Spaten Fight Night five-round exhibition boxing bout in Sao Paulo, vs. Anderson Silva already caught on fire for not being the spirited blood battle rematch.
More to it, the 2025 GFL Draft has had its kinks and after UFC, Sonnen doesn’t need another go. Spaten was already a long haul since 2019 when he lost to Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222. To top it off, he’s coaching Season 33 of The Ultimate Fighter Reality TV. That’s something he’d rather put more steam on.
‘Bad Guy’ Chael Sonnen fuels iconic banter already, before ‘TUF 33’: ‘If stupid had a cousin, it would be…’
Season 33 of ‘TUF’ will see Sonnen take on Daniel Cormier. The two UFC Hall of Famers currently co-hosts a show on ESPN called Good Guy/Bad Guy that has gained much traction since coming out wild. Now, the duo meet each other in a different setting.
The duo will begin filming the UFC’s The Ultimate Fighter later this year. Chael Sonnen, most of all, has bountiful experience at TUF. His rivalry alone with Wanderlei Silva would make headlines even today, albeit quirky ones. Hence, Sonnen, who opens the segment praising one-in-a-kind fighter and Olympic wrestler Cormier, amps up his trash talk for TUF.
DC stands for Daniel Cormier and he used to be a fighter, …This guy, he was good, he actually wrestled out in college. … This guy beat Pat Cummins. Nobody knows who he is — Don’t pretend this is the first time I’ve had to carry a show with Daniel Cormier…! I had a hard time with Wanderlei Silva, and it was with the language barrier, …With that said, I think that Wanderlei speaks better English than Daniel. I’m not saying like there’s a literacy issue, and I wouldn’t call Daniel stupid. I like him a lot. But if stupid had a cousin, it would be Daniel Cormier.
Chael Sonnen further said
That series produced one of the most memorable tidbits in the show’s history. The infamous “I can’t you get close” line was uttered by Sonnen before the hard brawl with Silva. Naturally, Sonnen found a way to seep it in with the upcoming show against Cormier. Will the combat sports clique get other such memorable one-liners again? Here’s hoping so.
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