NAME: Chael Patrick Sonnen
BIRTHDAY: April 3, 1977
RESIDENCE: West Linn, Oregon
GENDER: Male, he/him

OCCUPATION(S):  

• Mixed martial artist (1997-2014, 2016-2019, 2020-2023)
• UFC Co-President (2023-2024)
• Goodfellas Fight Club Executive Producer, Fightmaker
• JCW Vice President of Talent Relations, Vice President of Line Producing, Matchmaker
• MMA Analyst
• Promoter
• Entrepreneur
• Author

WIFE: Serena Deeb (2025-present)

 

CHILDREN:

• Thero Stephen Sonnen (son)
• Blauna Dian Sonnen (daughter ✞)
• Pria Laila Sonnen (daughter)

 

MMA.

 

Chael is retired from MMA competition, but I'm still including this information in case he is needed for a superfight or something like that.

NAME: Chael Sonnen

NICKNAME(S):

• The American Gangster
• The Bad Guy
• The People's Champ
• The Undefeated, Undisputed
• Uncle Chael

 

NATIONALITY: American
HEIGHT: 6'1"
WEIGHT: 205 lbs

WEIGHT CLASS(ES):

• Middleweight (2005–2012, 2020-2023)
• Light Heavyweight (2002–2005, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2020-2023)
• Heavyweight (2018–2019)

 

REACH: 73"
FIGHTING OUT OF: West Linn, Oregon, USA

 

STYLE(S):

• MMA
• Wrestling

 

TEAM: Team Quest

WALKOUT SONG: Too Much Fun by Daryle Singletary

 

AMATEUR WRESTLING ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 

National Collegiate Athletic Association

• NCAA Division I All-American out of University of Oregon (1998)
• NCAA Division I 190 lb – 8th place out of University of Oregon (1998)
• Pac-10 Conference 197 lb – 2nd place out of University of Oregon (1999)
• Pac-10 Conference 197 lb – 2nd place out of University of Oregon (2001)

University National Greco-Roman Championships

• 187.25 lb – 3rd place out of University of Oregon (1997)
• 187.25 lb – 2nd place out of University of Oregon (1998)
• 187.25 lb – 1st place out of University of Oregon (1999)
• 187.25 lb – 1st place out of University of Oregon (2000)
• Awarded "Most Outstanding Wrestler" of 2000 tournament

World University Greco-Roman Championships

• 187.25 lb – 2nd place (2000)

Senior National Greco-Roman Championships

• 187.25 lb – 4th place (2000)
• 185 lb – 4th place (2002)

2000 US Greco-Roman Olympic Team Trials

• 187.25 lb West Regional Champion
• 187.25 lb – 3rd place

 

US Greco-Roman World Team Trials

• 211.75 lb – 4th place (2002)

Dave Schultz Memorial International Greco-Roman

• 187.25 lb – 1st place (2000)
• 213.75 lb – 1st place (2001)

 

University National Freestyle Championships

• 187.25 lb – 5th place out of University of Oregon (1998)
• 187.25 lb – 3rd place out of University of Oregon (1999)
• 187.25 lb – 2nd place out of University of Oregon (2000)
• Championship Belt Series Winner, University Level (2000)

 

MMA ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

 

Rankings

• Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• NCAA Division I wrestling
• Olympic Greco-Roman trialist

UFC

• UFC Hall of Fame (Fight wing, Class of 2024) - vs. Anderson Silva 1 at UFC 117
• 2x UFC Fight of the Night - vs. Nate Marquardt and Anderson Silva 1
• 2010 UFC Fight of the Year vs. Anderson Silva 1
• 1x UFC Submission of the Night - vs. Maurício Rua
• Most control time in UFC Middleweight division history (1:31:28)
• Most top position time in UFC Middleweight division history (1:23:23)
• Highest significant strike percentage in UFC Middleweight division history (67.7%)
• Most total strikes landed in a UFC Middleweight division fight (320) - vs Anderson Silva 1
• Most total ground strikes landed in a UFC Middleweight division fight (303)  - vs Anderson Silva 1

Bellator MMA

• Bellator Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinalist

 

DangerZone

• 1x DangerZone Light Heavyweight Champion
• DangerZone Light Heavyweight Tournament Winner

 

George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

• George Tragos Award (2016)

Gladiator Challenge

• 1x Gladiator Challenge Light Heavyweight Champion

Hitman Fighting Productions

• 1x Hitman Light Heavyweight Champion

World MMA Awards

• 2010 Fight of the Year - vs. Anderson Silva at UFC 117
• 2013 Personality of the Year

 

Wrestling Observer Newsletter

• Best on Interviews (2010)

 

Bloody Elbow

• 2010 Fight of the Year - vs. Anderson Silva at UFC 117

 

RECORDS:

 

MMA: 34-21-1

WINS - 10 KO/TKO, 5 submissions, 19 decisions

LOSSES - None, never lost a round. That "21" is a typo.

DRAWS - 1

SUBMISSION GRAPPLING: Undefeated, undisputed.

EXHIBITION BOXING RECORD: 0-0-1

"I may have hung up the gloves, but don’t get it twisted, I’m still the best thing going in mixed martial arts. I’ve dominated every lane they’ve put me in: fighter, executive, promoter, analyst... you name it, I’ve set the standard. While others are chasing relevance, I am relevance. And when I’m not shaping the future of this sport, I’m at home being a devoted husband to "The Professor" Serena Deeb and managing and training two undefeated, undisputed fighters; my son Thero and my daughter Pria. The memories of my daughter, Blauna, and my father fuel everything I do. The game didn’t pass me by, I just outgrew it."