Chael Sonnen has fought an array of incredible fighters throughout his career, but one nailed him so hard, he was left ‘mad’ and desperate to get his own back.
‘The American Gangster’ gave it his all, en route to suffering a brutal knockout defeat.
Chael Sonnen explains what it’s really like to fight Fedor Emelianenko
On October 13, 2018, Chael Sonnen went head-to-head with Fedor Emelianenko in the semi-final of the Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix.
Like always, the trash-talker entered the bout with steely confidence, but was soon given an insight into his opponent’s greatness when he found himself on the floor within the first ten seconds.
Showcasing fighting spirit in abundance, Sonnen rose to his feet and continued to exchange bombs. Alas, it wasn’t enough, as the Russian dropped him several more times en route to securing the finish.
Sonnen has since recounted exactly what it was like being locked inside the cage with one of the greatest to ever do it.
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In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the Oregon native, said: “He hit me so hard it was like a missile. When I was falling to the mat, I thought, ‘This would be a good time to call it a night, but I’m not going out as the fastest knockout in Bellator history’.
“I’m hanging in there, I’m sticking to it, I’m coming forward, I’m coming right at him. Now, I’m mad. Now, I wanna get him back; I just wanna find him one time.
“He had a missile for me, but I’m thinking the whole time, ‘I’ve got one locked and loaded for you too and here I’m coming’.
“I go down again, so old Chael gets up again, I’ve still got one locked and loaded for him, I know ‘I’m gonna find you sooner or later’.
“Every time I got up, I’m going back down. It felt like a dog fight. Fedor, I felt, was a very fast guy. I never saw those punches coming.”
‘It was a strength I can’t explain in words’… Chael Sonnen gives an insight into what happened while sparring a legend
Fedor isn’t the only icon Sonnen has gone toe-to-toe with over the years.
During his legendary career, he not only fought a host of Hall of Famers, but also trained with them on the mats.
And on one occasion, he was left in awe of what a genuine icon of the sport did to him during an intense training session.