Chael Sonnen reveals WWE once invited him to RAW, but there was a condition - "They said that they would do that just to stick it up Dana White's a**"
Chael Sonnen recently revealed that he was offered the chance to appear on WWE Monday Night Raw, on one condition. According to 'The American Gangster', had he beaten Anderson Silva in 2010 for the middleweight title, he would have been granted the chance to make his WWE debut.
However, Sonnen disclosed that the only reason WWE entertained the idea of featuring 'The American Gangster' on RAW was because it would have been a "blow to the UFC."
In a recent episode of his YouTube show, Sonnen discussed the idea of Daniel Cormier making his WWE debut against Brock Lesnar, which reminded him of the offer he had received from the pro-wrestling company:
"They [WWE] said, 'If you beat Anderson [Silva], then you come on Raw with the UFC belt... Beat Anderson [on] Saturday, you will be on Raw, you have to have the belt.' And they said that they would do that just to stick it up Dana White's a**. I have no idea how that harms Dana."
Watch the video from the 1:25 mark below:
Dana White and Vince McMahon certainly don't share a positive relationship. However, the implication that Sonnen making an appearance at the event would "hurt the UFC" is hard to grasp.
Interestingly, the UFC president recently even talked about his unpleasant experience attending a WrestleMania event.
Chael Sonnen is highly impressed with Conor McGregor's wrestling ability
Chael Sonnen is a former NCAA Division 1 wrestler who attended the University of Oregon. 'The American Gangster' has multiple national and international Greco-Roman wrestling awards, and has enough experience and knowledge to identify a skilled wrestler.
This is why recent footage of Conor McGregor's wrestling training has taken 'The American Gangster' by surprise. 'The Notorious' is known for his sharp skills on the feet and commendable takedown defense.
However, according to Chael Sonnen, footage of McGregor wrestling should be studied by anyone who is an aspiring mixed martial artist:
"Now footage has come out of Conor wrestling. If you haven't seen this, and you're an aspiring fighter, you must go watch this. You must watch this, but you must study this."
Watch the video below:
According to Sonnen, the Irishman looked like a "seasoned wrestler" based on the footage.
One wonders if McGregor's move to welterweight has inspired him to work on his wrestling, as the likes of Colby Covington, Khamzat Chimaev and Gilbert Burns all occupy the top spots in the division.