Chael Sonnen is still fighting, but he’s also making an impact on the side as one of the most insightful commentators and insiders in the sport. Once you can separate Chael Sonnen the insider from Chael Sonnen the showman selling a fight, you can enjoy Sonnen’s newsworthy tidbits on the MMA rumor mill, and more than anything, his takes on upcoming fights.
This weekend, we got the man claiming a long-rumored fight will happen: Former middleweight and welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre will indeed be fighting Conor McGregor in the future, even if GSP said such a fight against the current UFC lightweight champion does “nothing” for his legacy.
“Conor doesn’t have the belt, and George wants to come back, and George only wants to come back for Conor,” Sonnen says. “And they both want to do this legacy and all this other … a check, guys. That’s what you’re getting in this. Forget about how we think about you in the future, let’s talk about tonight. That’s the fight.”
Prediction: GSP vs Conor at 165 lbs. pic.twitter.com/V7LGRkVUNp
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) March 8, 2018
GSP has told us that he’s not really in the fight game for the money anymore, and his return was about solidifying himself as the best ever. Yes, GSP just fought at 185 pounds and is a big welterweight who doesn’t necessarily want to fight a “small guy” like McGregor, but this fight would be between two of the biggest stars in MMA history. This would easily sell out a stadium in Toronto. Chael knows that’s part of the “legacy” aspect of this despite GSP saying he doesn’t want to fight McGregor.
“Making a statement like, ‘Hey, that does nothing for me,’ that is condescending, it’s rude, it’s mean-spirited, and it’s extremely appropriate if you’re Georges St-Pierre. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t want that fight.”
Months before McGregor was scheduled to fight Floyd Mayweather, Chael Sonnen was on the record saying it was a done deal. So hearing him insist that this fight is happening is as good of an indication as any that it is. Considering the direction the UFC has been in with superfights, it makes sense.
Even if Dana White doesn’t want to do it.
(Via MMA Junkie)
