"He's just not that guy" - Michael Bisping on Chael Sonnen's 'embarrassing' battery charges
Michael Bisping has reacted to Chael Sonnen being slapped with five separate battery citations following an alleged fight at the Luxor Hotel and Casino this past Saturday. 'The American Gangster' was accused of roughing up five separate victims, according to Las Vegas Police Public Information Officer Larry Hadfield (h/t MMA Fighting).
Sonnen was seen banging on the door of a hotel room and was also involved in a physical altercation with a couple. Although he wasn't arrested, Sonnen was issued a battery citation for each individual victim and subsequently handcuffed and escorted off the property where the incident occurred.
Bisping doesn't think Sonnen is the sort of person who'd wilfully engage in brawls with others. According to 'The Count', Sonnen must have been instigated by the victims for him to react in a violent manner because he's generally a 'level-headed' individual. He believes they may have said something inappropriate to Sonnen which led to the former UFC light heavyweight losing his cool.
Bisping, in an episode of the Believe You Me podcast, said:
"We've worked together many times over the years. He's very level-headed, he has his sh*t together, he's not a drinker. He's just not that guy. He doesn't fit the bill so I said yesterday, and of course I'm assuming, and people might say, "Oh, you jump into the defense of your friend" but the only reason I see this going is if something happened like maybe they said something inappropriate to his wife, something like that."
Check out the full episode of the podcast below:
Jon Jones plays 'the bigger man' after Chael Sonnen gets slapped with misdemeanor battery citations
Sonnen's former opponent and rival Jon Jones offered well wishes to 'The American Gangster', his family, as well as the family of the victims in the incident. Jones' actions are in contrast to Sonnen's, who criticized 'Bones' after he was arrested on charges of domestic violence earlier this year in Las Vegas.
Jones tweeted:
Chael Sonnen, I’m not gonna sit here and celebrate you getting battery charges against a female last night. That would make me like you, and I’m nothing like you. Instead I will wish your family well, I wish the victims family well."
The duo shared the octagon in 2013 when Sonnen took on Jones at UFC 159 for the UFC light heavyweight belt. Jones won via TKO in the first round. They were even opposing coaches on season 17 of The Ultimate Fighter.