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Chael Sonnen sounds off on the UFC flyweight division
Chael Sonnen is not impressed with UFC flyweights.
The division appears to be saved after Henry Cejudo brought interest and light into it. Yet, according to Sonnen, he believes the fighters should have learned from almost getting cut. And, they should start bringing eyeballs to the division.
“One thing at 125 pounds — and it does surprise me and it does disappoint me and it even infuriates me — listen, that division was almost cut. That division was almost gone,” Sonnen said on his podcast. “Henry saved the division. Henry Cejudo brought something new where they said ‘You know what? We’re going to keep it around.’
“The rest of the 125 pounders were so thankful,” Sonnen continued. “Their careers were saved — [they] apparently didn’t learn a single goddamn lesson from [the division] almost being taken away from them.
“Aside from Henry Cejudo, not one of the guys in the back who thought their contracts were going to go away because of a lack of interest in the division have done a god damn thing to be interesting. Not one them. And it is infuriating to me. As much as they all wanted to cry into their beer when they were going to get cut — and I would take no pleasure in somebody having their opportunity taken from them, none — but you’d certainly think that would serve as a wake-up call. A major wakeup call [that] something has to be done different.”
Yet, that has not been the case and for Chael Sonnen, he is disappointed that fighters have not embraced what Henry Cejudo has done. Even though many make fun of the champ-champ, Sonnen says at least it makes people care about flyweights.
“‘Oh my God, here’s Henry Cejudo, oh my God, this guy looks like a fool, a jester,’” Sonnen said, mimicking the widespread reaction to Cejudo’s antics. “‘This guy’s coming on stage with fake snakes and snapping them down. Oh my God, this guy just saved an entire division? He just saved the jobs of 56 strangers who happen to be in the same weight class with the same goals as him? Wow. Maybe I should learn something.’”
