Fan favorite Chael Sonnen has called it a career. On Friday, June 14, the always entertaining “American Gangster” announced that he has retired from mixed martial arts. The decision came following a second-round TKO loss to former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Sonnen announced his retirement in his postfight speech and left his gloves in the center of the cage.
The ride is over. @ChaelSonnen announces that he is retiring.
pic.twitter.com/kNMQEIdIKq
— DAZN USA (@DAZN_USA) June 15, 2019
Throughout his mixed martial arts career, Sonnen was a three-time challenger for the middleweight championship, a one-time light heavyweight title contender, and a two-time WEC middleweight title contender. At WEC 36, Sonnen defeated middleweight champion Paulo Filho, but the title was not on the line after Filho missed weight by 7 pounds.
Sonnen revolutionized trash-talking in mixed martial arts and paved the way for a number of today’s current stars and showed them the best way to call their shot when the opportunity presented itself.
Congratulations to Sonnen on an incredible and entertaining career.
The full results from Bellator 222 can be seen below.
Bellator 222 Results
The Flying Knee did the trick for @lyotomachidafw
#Bellator222 pic.twitter.com/UJEocCqWnT
— DAZN USA (@DAZN_USA) June 15, 2019
- Lyoto Machida def. Chael Sonnen via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 2, 0:22
- Dillon Danis def. Max Humphrey via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:28
- Juan Archuleta def. Eduardo Dantas via knockout (punch) – Round 2, 4:59
- Kyoji Horiguchi def. Darrion Caldwell via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) – to win bantamweight title
- Taylor Turner def. Heather Hardy via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 3:53
- Adam Borics def. Aaron Pico via knockout (flying knee) – Round 2, 3:55
- Valerie Loureda def. Larkyn Dasch via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Lindsey VanZandt def. Rena Kubota via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 4:04
- Haim Gozali def. Gustavo Wurlitzer via submission (triangle choke) – Round 1, 4:02
- Mike Kimbel def. Sebastian Ruiz via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 30-27)
- Robson Gracie Jr. def. Oscar Vera via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:15
- Marcus Surin def. Nekruz Mirkhojaev via split decision (30-27, 27-29, 29-27)
- Phil Hawes def. Michael Wilcox via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 1, 5:00
- John Beneduce def. Kenny Rivera via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)