DID HE OR DIDN’T HE? CHAEL SONNEN ADDRESSES HIS CONTROVERSIAL TAP OUT ON “FIGHTING WORDS WITH MIKE STRAKA” – TONIGHT ON HDNET

Posted on | August 14, 2010 | No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DALLAS (August 13, 2010)

“Fighting Words with Mike Straka” scores Sonnen’s first extended interview after his heartbreaking loss to Anderson Silva, while “Inside MMA” has Chuck Liddell talking about retirement – TONIGHT, Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on HDNet

DALLAS (August 13, 2010) Just twelve hours after his epic battle with Anderson Silva, UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen sat down for a frank and emotional 30-minute interview with Mike Straka, set to air this Friday, August 13 at 8:30 p.m. ET on HDNet.

He also addresses the controversy that has arisen since the fight, questioning whether or not he really did tap out.

Sonnen dominated the pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva at UFC 117 in Oakland, CA – only to be caught in a submission with less than two minutes left in the fight. Sonnen says he’s devastated by the loss.

“You’re a minute away from this ultimate goal. Some guys, they spend eight to ten weeks in a training camp. I’ve spent 25 years. I’ve worked out every single day but Christmas since I was nine years old for one moment, and it was last night…It’s a devastating, heartbreaking reality…I want to cry right this second,” Sonnen said through watery eyes.

View a clip here

Sonnen tells Straka that he lay in bed wide awake until 6:00 a.m., repeatedly going over that last round in his head and thinking of what he could have done differently to win the bout.

“I know how to stop a triangle,” he said. “He locked that thing up so fast and so deep. There’s a line of defense that you go through, and the one I went to is your last resort, and I went to it first, but I had to,” said Sonnen.

He also said he’s not counting on an immediate rematch.

“I’m not entitled to anything. They (UFC) don’t owe me anything,” he said. “This is a business, and it’s going to come down to who is the number one draw…Vitor Belfort is a big draw. That’s a good fight. I understand it, but I’m the number one contender. I’m the one the fans want to see do the job, but if not, I’ll sit back and watch Vitor do it,” he said.

In the interview, Sonnen breaks down the already legendary fight for viewers, detailing when he first thought he broke Silva’s will, and when he says, “He (Silva) changed his mind out there. He was ready to go a couple of times. Then he decided no, I’m going to stick around a little bit longer.” He also talks about his controversial comments leading up to the fight.

Tonight’s “Inside MMA,” features Chuck Liddell talking about retirement, while Kenny and Bas panelists WEC Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson, Reed Harris, and Javier Vazquez discuss Sonnen versus Silva. Also, how are the New York Jets improving their Super Bowl chances by using MMA? Find out tonight!

“Fighting Words with Mike Straka” airs TONIGHT, August 13, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. ET on HDNet – “Inside MMA” immediately follows at 9:00 p.m. ET.