Professional sports has become a multi-billion dollar industry that functions 365 days a year. It is a world where winners are rewarded with big paydays, but individuals who can thrill the fans with excitement are often praised and rewarded in the same fashion. As mixed martial arts becomes more of a mainstream sport and jockeys for position among the “big three” of the sporting world, that line between sport and entertainment becomes more and more blurred. A recent announcement from the UFC further blurs that line.
On Tuesday it was revealed that current UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones will be one of the coaches on the next season of The Ultimate Fighter. You may ask who will be standing on the opposite side, preparing new faces for their chances at stardom in the Octagon. Well, instead of the opposing coach being a fighter that has been tapped as the number one contender due to his previous performances at 205, fans will get to see Chael Sonnen, a former middleweight who is returning to competition at 205 for the first time since 2005.
This is all linked directly to the fallout of UFC 151. Dan Henderson’s knee injury forced him out of a title bout against Jones, and the UFC called upon Sonnen to step in. Jones said no, the show was cancelled and we know the fallout from that point on. Jones has since become the villain, the man for everyone to hate within MMA circles, while Sonnen continually teases him — both online and on camera — for saying no to that bout. But recently, Jones changed his tune, and said that he would like to fight Sonnen when the time is right, and it looks like that time will now be an event in April.
However, placing Sonnen into this coaching position screams for an explanation, and it will be interesting to see if UFC President Dana White can create a suitable answer. It was Sonnen’s ability to perform in front of the microphone and the camera that allowed him to receive the opportunity of being called into the replacement fight for UFC 151, and it’s those same qualities that have created this opportunity here. Even former two-division champion Henderson acknowledges that point:
“I guess I should just quit training to win fights and to be exciting for the fans and just go to s— talking school,” Henderson said through his Twitter account after the announcement was made.
Dana White has often said that he will stay away from the circus type fights that made PRIDE so famous during its glory days. While this bout is a far cry from the most outrageous matchups we’ve seen in the past, it’s clear that it was set up due to the potential financial benefit and fan excitement that is sure to accompany the season. Sonnen hasn’t won a fight at 205 in seven years, so it would be nearly impossible to explain how he deserves a title shot before any of the fighters that have been winning fights within the weight class in recent years. It would be hard pressed to even call him what mainstream fans consider an “exciting” fighter, because his wrestling background calls for him to compete similarly to the likes of a Gray Maynard or Jon Fitch, who have been saddled with the stigma of being labeled “boring.
As mentioned in my previous post about the entire UFC 151 situation, Jones made the right move by declining the initial fight with Sonnen. As he has said in the past, his goal is to make as much money as possible while being a prizefighter, and he has also stated that he refuses to retire poor, as some athletes have in the past. This fight is the perfect scenario for both him and Sonnen, as they will be placed at the forefront of UFC programming for an extended period of time.
The benefits for both of the fighters, and the organization as a whole, are as clear as day. This bout is about entertainment, not sports value; it is about ratings over rankings. And while many will disagree with Sonnen getting this position, there is no denying his value as a talker, and that Jon Jones vs. Chael Sonnen will generate a lot of money for everyone involved.
