Professional Record
31-17-1
Current Elo Rating
1664
True Contender System
Middleweight Ranking
Not currently ranked
Pound-for-Pound Ranking
Not currently ranked
About Chael Sonnen
Wrestling, promotion and five minutes from becoming champion
Chael Sonnen was one of the most recognizable contenders in middleweight history despite never winning a UFC belt. The American combined a high-level competitive career with a gift for promotion that anticipated much of the style later used by other big stars of the company.
Fighting style
Inside the cage, Sonnen was far less flamboyant than in front of a microphone. His game was built around pressure wrestling, repeated takedowns and top control. He did not necessarily look for a single decisive moment: he stacked work, forced opponents to defend constantly and could dominate whole minutes of a fight through volume and position.
The title fights
His most famous performance came against Anderson Silva at UFC 117. Sonnen dominated the champion for most of five rounds and was very close to producing one of the biggest upsets in history when Silva caught him in a triangle in the final minutes. He fought Silva for the title again and later also challenged Jon Jones at light heavyweight. His first fight with Silva was added to the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame in 2024.
Activity
Next fight
No bout announced
Chael Sonnen has no next fight confirmed by the UFC yet.
This section updates automatically as soon as one is announced.
Last fight
Chael Sonnenvs.Rashad Evans
L · TKO · R1
- Event
- UFC 167
- Date
- November 16, 2013
- Elo change
- -35
Career Statistics
Professional career
31-17-1
Wins · Losses · Draws
49 fights
Wins by method
- KO/TKO
- 0
- Submissions
- 2
- Decisions
- 5
2 Finishes
28.6% of 7 wins
Of these 31 wins, 24 have no method recorded in our history.
In the UFC
7-7-0
Wins · Losses · Draws
14 fights
Wins by method
- KO/TKO
- 0
- Submissions
- 2
- Decisions
- 5
2 Finishes
28.6% of 7 wins
Elo
Current Elo
1,664
Peak Elo
1,698
From peak
-35
StreakNot enough data yet
Biggest Elo gain
Achievements and career
- Title fight record: 0-3
- Best recorded streak: 3 straight wins
Elo History
14 recorded UFC fights
UFC Start
1500
Current
1664
Peak Elo
1698
Total
+164
UFC Fight History
| Date | Result | Opponent | Method | Elo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 16, 2013 | L | Rashad Evans | TKO · R1 · 4:05 | Elo1664 | Change-35 |
| Aug 17, 2013 | W | Maurício Rua | Submission · R1 · 4:47 | Elo1698 | Change+65 |
| Apr 27, 2013 | L | Jon Jones | TKO · R1 · 4:33 | Elo1634 | Change-10 |
| Jul 07, 2012 | L | Anderson Silva | TKO · R2 · 1:55 | Elo1644 | Change-5 |
| Jan 28, 2012 | W | Michael Bisping | Decision · R3 · 5:00 | Elo1649 | Change+41 |
| Oct 08, 2011 | W | Brian Stann | Submission · R2 · 3:51 | Elo1608 | Change+62 |
| Aug 07, 2010 | L | Anderson Silva | Submission · R5 · 3:10 | Elo1546 | Change-7 |
| Feb 06, 2010 | W | Nate Marquardt | Decision · R3 · 5:00 | Elo1553 | Change+45 |
| Oct 24, 2009 | W | Yushin Okami | Decision · R3 · 5:00 | Elo1508 | Change+47 |
| May 23, 2009 | W | Dan Miller | Decision · R3 · 5:00 | Elo1461 | Change+43 |
| Feb 21, 2009 | L | Demian Maia | Submission · R1 · 2:37 | Elo1418 | Change-28 |
| May 27, 2006 | L | Jeremy Horn | Submission · R2 · 1:17 | Elo1446 | Change-44 |
| Apr 06, 2006 | W | Trevor Prangley | Decision · R3 · 5:00 | Elo1490 | Change+37 |
| Oct 07, 2005 | L | Renato Sobral | Submission · R2 · 1:20 | Elo1453 | Change-47 |
Competitive Profile
Chael Sonnen’s position is calculated by the True Contender MMA Elo system from real results and strength of opposition. The profile updates with the rankings after new fights are processed.