Sonnen gets upset on local radio show, hangs up on host

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/6/28/3122955/ufc-chael-sonnen-radio-anderson-silva-john-canzano
UFC Superstar Chael Sonnen was on 750 AM's Bald Face Truth with John Canzano and it went like many Sonnen interviews before. After some standard talk about Sonnen's upcoming rematch with Anderson Silva, talk of the first fight between the two and a little flattery by Canzano who says he eats at Sonnen's "Mean Street Pizza" restaurant once a week, things got a little chippy. After being asked if his suspension for elevated testosterone and guilty plea in criminal court are now behind him, Sonnen got quite upset.

Here's a transcript of the end of the call.

Quote :

Canzano: You came on the show a couple years ago, since that time you've had the Anderson Silva fight, you got the suspension for the testosterone levels, you got the guilty plea in the mortgage fraud thing in 2011...how much of that stuff is behind you? How much of that stuff are you still dealing with?

Sonnen: Uh...It's all behind me. I've never been in any sort of mortgage fraud, I'm not sure where you guys get that term up. But every time I come on your show you make new things up...so. I guess it's good. I hope you're not still beating your wife, John.

Canzano: Oh c'mon. You didn't plead guilty to any kind of crime?

Sonnen: Well sure, but is that what you just said? Or did you state a crime, as you do every time I come on the show and say things that aren't true. And I said I hope that you still don't beat your wife.

Canzano: I said that you pled guilty to mortgage fraud...

Sonnen: Right, and I said that I hope you don't beat your wife and I was never even accused of mortgage fraud.

Canzano: What was it? Money laundering?

Sonnen: There you go!

Canzano: Okay, so it was money laundering. ...In connection to a mortgage.

Sonnen: But you can see the problem when I come onto your show and you make things up. Don't you see the problem when a hometown guy comes on and you make things up? This is why I don't like to do your show. You're unprepared, you're unprofessional.

Canzano: Look, I'm looking right here at the research. I'm looking at the case...

Sonnen: You're looking at the research?! I guarantee I know what you're looking at, you did Google. ANd I'm glad that you admitted it on the air that that's your level of research, John. You're about the most unprofessional guy there is. And, boy, I hope you're done beating your wife. Let's just call the interview over.

Canzano: Chael! Come on, man! Seriously?

*Sonnen hangs up*

Canzano used yo be one of our local sports guys. He's terrible.

lol what a douche.

Ali wrote:

lol what a douche.

The host right?

Canzano is a tool, Chip Kelley hates him, and he thinks he is above everyone else, he married the local news anchor in Portland and dude thinks he is the shit, always talks about playing baseball in college and that he knows Jeff Garcia

Farmer1906 wrote:

Ali wrote:

lol what a douche.

The host right?

Come on son you know who I am talking about

sounds like a pair of cocksuckers that deserve each other to me.

sonnen shouldn't give it if he can't take it.

Way to not want to talk about personal legal matters on a public radio broadcast, Chael.

You big jerk!

cheekynffc wrote:

sounds like a pair of cocksuckers that deserve each other to me.

sonnen shouldn't give it if he can't take it.

Because Chael instigated that..?

jewzilla wrote:

cheekynffc wrote:

sounds like a pair of cocksuckers that deserve each other to me.

sonnen shouldn't give it if he can't take it.

Because Chael instigated that..?

no, it was a naughty question from the bloke on the radio.

sonnen likes to talk shit about people himself though so perhaps he should've been a better sport about it?

cheekynffc wrote:

jewzilla wrote:

cheekynffc wrote:

sounds like a pair of cocksuckers that deserve each other to me.

sonnen shouldn't give it if he can't take it.

Because Chael instigated that..?

no, it was a naughty question from the bloke on the radio.

sonnen likes to talk shit about people himself though so perhaps he should've been a better sport about it?

Nah man, Sonnens shit talk is for fight hype. Its a show. People are just too fucking stupid to see that. Radio guy could have talked about the fight, and even argued with Chael saying Anderson is better. Instead he chooses a very real legal issue with Chael, and just harped on it. Its bad radio, and the host is about a dickhead motherfucker.

Still amazed that Chael has everyone this wound up. God I cant wait for him to be champ.

I don't think lack of intelligence or understanding of Sonnen's act has anything to do with the hate. Just because you hate his stupid act doesn't me you don't properly comprehend it or what he is trying to do.

OU wrote:

I don't think lack of intelligence or understanding of Sonnen's act has anything to do with the hate. Just because you hate his stupid act doesn't me you don't properly comprehend it or what he is trying to do.

Why do you hate someone for an act? It really just makes his "haters" look stupid, and himself look like a genius, because he turned his act into another title shot, and bring the UFC big money on this PPV.

And no offense to you, but Nick Diaz is one of your favorite fighters. How can someone that is a prick asshole wannabe gangster, that skips press conferences, then ends up ruining his shot at a title because of his child like mind, be any worse then Chael, who is strategically talking fake shit, to get a title shot, and build up one of the most greatly anticipated rematch ever?

No personal attack, I just am seriously puzzled.

I bet you are not a fan of the WWE lol.

jewzilla wrote:

OU wrote:

I don't think lack of intelligence or understanding of Sonnen's act has anything to do with the hate. Just because you hate his stupid act doesn't me you don't properly comprehend it or what he is trying to do.

Why do you hate someone for an act? It really just makes his "haters" look stupid, and himself look like a genius, because he turned his act into another title shot, and bring the UFC big money on this PPV.

And no offense to you, but Nick Diaz is one of your favorite fighters. How can someone that is a prick asshole wannabe gangster, that skips press conferences, then ends up ruining his shot at a title because of his child like mind, be any worse then Chael, who is strategically talking fake shit, to get a title shot, and build up one of the most greatly anticipated rematch ever?

No personal attack, I just am seriously puzzled.

I bet you are not a fan of the WWE lol.

I became a Diaz fan a long time ago and a pleasing fight style can go a long way. Nick may be out there and there are plenty of times I don't like what he says or does. But Nick is Nick 100% of the time. Most of the time when he is talking about fights he thought he won I agree with him.
Chael is a different animal. His popularity is based heavy on this act he created. Just because you find it amusing doesn't mean everyone else does. The guys act is old. I don't tune in to watch Chael lose, I tune in to watch MMA no matter what. So he isn't fooling me into watching him fight. I'm watching the fight whether he says a word or not. But his schtick is extremely played out at this point, very very little humor in anything he says these days. Hell even the tone of the man's voice I find annoying. What makes him even more annoying is he jumps in and out of character so you get glimpses of someone with good insight and somewhat intelligent. But then he jumps right into this Pro Wrestling style gimmick and just annoys the shit out of me. I was a wrestling fan when I was a kid, even watched a little in Jr. High.

I don't like that he uses a fact act. Atleast when Nick is saying dumb shit he is just being himself. I can respect that alot more. IMO Nick is misunderstood to a large degree. But just like you said, Chael uses a fake act to get attention. I really don't like that. Combine that with the act becoming increasingly annoying. Yeah it gets old. Needs to just axe that fake shit.

The scripted rhymes are the worse. His interview sound offs where he does the Pro Wrasslin style promos are not amusing to me, they are extremely annoying. Some people like it, it's all in good fun. I hate it, annoys the shit out of me. When Chael is being who he really is, having real interactions and talking about fights he can be really interesting to listen to. I realize his mouth is getting him paid and getting dumbasses that wouldn't usually tune in to watch him fight. But as a real fan who watches for the fights themselves his act does nothing positive for me. He has every right to do what he can to help his career, but doesn't make it any less annoying to listen to.

So when Chael becomes champion, and lets he drops the act, would you be a fan?

I personally like the comical aspect he brings in his post fight stuff, and interviews.

I like it alot better than hearing other fighters talk about how they love God, then go and get DWI's.

He could tone it down a bit once he becomes champ.

Until then keep up the act.

Also do you dislike Barnett?

Both Chael and Nick seem like really nice people and I bet both would be fun to hang out with for a day. Nick has legit social anxiety(so do I) and Chael transforms for the cameras so get them both in the comfort of their homes and I bet they are pleasant to be around.

jewzilla wrote:

So when Chael becomes champion, and lets he drops the act, would you be a fan?

I personally like the comical aspect he brings in his post fight stuff, and interviews.

I like it alot better than hearing other fighters talk about how they love God, then go and get DWI's.

He could tone it down a bit once he becomes champ.

Until then keep up the act.

Also do you dislike Barnett?

I don't think he will tone it down. If anything I bet he just runs his mouth even more. I'm not a fan of Jon Jones, which is obviously who are referring to. I'll admit before he really opened his mouth and I was just watching him fight I was a fan. But he quickly turned that around. His act is also fake. But what's worse about him is he sells his act as who he is. Chael has his character for media purposes. I don't mind fighters talking about God if I feel they are genuine. Like Bendo give praise after every single fight before saying anything else. I'm fine with that. There are fighters in the past I have hated that I have changed my mind on. BJ Penn being the main one. I use to really dislike BJ. But BJ has changed over time and so have I. I actually root for him these days.

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Stop me if you've heard this one: Chael says he never said it:

"You know, you're the second person to ask me that, and, uh, I never said it. You'll never find that quote anywhere, you'll never replay it. It simply didn't happen."

The self-appointed "People's Champ" was just getting started. Check out what else he had to say during a humorous exchange with LeBatard, as well as the video of the whole segment, after the jump:



"I'm not kidding in any fashion. That absolutely didn't happen. You absolutely didn't see it, and if you did, then simply bring it up, right now. Prove to the world. You can laugh all you want. That's always your go-to when I trump you. Before you go and edit it, when I make you look stupid, like an amateur -- which is what you just were, you gave a quote that didn't happen -- now, you're sticking to your guns, claiming it happened. I'm challenging you to replay it, and your response is to simply...laugh."

LeBatard was a good sport, as usual, and played along, to an extent, going further to ask Sonnen why he thinks that he (LeBatard) would lie about something he (Sonnen) said.

The shenanigans continued:

You know, I just think that you're probably incompetent. I didn't say it. I absolutely didn't, and when you pull the footage, you'll see that I didn't, and you'll go, 'Well, it was close.' Well, that's now it works. You're an alleged reporter. You just absolutely lied about a quote. You're still continuing to lie. You'll never bring that footage forward, you'll never show your viewers, and you'll edit this clip out, because I just made you look like the charlatan that you are. I never said that, and you won't find it. I said something close, but close doesn't count. It's totally different. You will not find the quote that you say you found, and you won't even try, and you'll edit this out, because you're a charlatan.

Finally, a non-combatant exchange of words occurred, when LeBatard decided to hand the mic off to his dad, with whom Sonnen has been civil in the past.

LeBatard's father asked Sonnen about his own dad, and the promise he made to him, to become a UFC champion before his career was over:

"Absolutely, man. That was one of the last things I said to him. He was literally on his deathbed. I said two things to him, in my final moments, and that was one of them."

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DLB: What was your reaction when you heard the Silva quotes that he was going to break all of your teeth and you weren't going to be able to walk out of the octagon?

CS: Well, that's like the big threat in Brazil "we're gonna send you to the dentist". The only resentment or confusion I have is the implication is that they've got dentists on every other block in Brazil, you know. There's something wrong with your tooth in Brazil, some witch doctor waves a fishbone in front of your face and hopes your mouth feels better.

More quotes after the jump...

SBN coverage of UFC 148


More from the interview:

DLB: Why do you keep insulting all of Brazil? I saw where you said that while you were talking with your friends about American ingenuity, Brazilians were playing with mud. Why do you keep doing that?

CS: I didn't know that was an insult. I was just stating a matter of fact, as you put it earlier.

DLB: (laugh) So the reaction has been what from Brazil? They didn't like you before, now what's the reaction?

CS: It's so confusing to me. I'm not sure where we got off track, you know, originally they were upset because I didn't know they had the internet. You know, what do they expect? That I don't have anything better to do than to sit down and write down all the different countries that America's given the computer to? I don't have time to keep track of all these things. I didn't mean to hurt anybody's feelings.