UFC color commentator Joe Rogan recently made waves in the MMA community after a statement he made about MMA fighters who aren’t competing in Dana White‘s promotion. He claimed that most MMA enthusiasts only give importance to fights that happen inside the Octagon. However, MMA legend Chael Sonnen seems to disagree with that sentiment. He gave his take on this situation on YouTube.

There is no doubt that the UFC is the biggest MMA promotion ever. In its 30 years of existence, the promotion has seen many ups and downs. The UFC even faced bans in several states. But it rose to become a $12.1 billion giant in combat sports. But is it the only place for MMA fighters? Let’s see what Chael Sonnen had to say.

Chael Sonnen doesn’t agree with Joe Rogan

Chael Sonnen has fought in multiple promotions, including the UFC. He believes that his prowess in mixed martial arts should not be judged by how many people take an interest in watching him fight. Sonnen said, “My career isn’t going to be adjudicated on how many people are watching.”

Furthermore, ‘The American Gangster’ also mentioned that fighters often get wrecked during their fights. Hence, fighting in a smaller arena with fewer people could help fighters adjust to the situation.

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“Not to mention, when all those people are watching, that guy’s got a 50 percent chance of getting his a** kicked in front of all of those people,” said Chael Sonnen. He disagreed with the notion that UFC is the only place where MMA fighters can make a living.

“I am not convinced that’s the only thing that a person looks at, but it sure is an interesting point by Joe,” the MMA legend further stated. Despite disagreeing with Joe Rogan, Chael Sonnen made another analysis from a different spectrum. Let’s have a look at that front.

Sonnen analyzes what Rogan’s statement meant

Chael Sonnen reverted to the fact that UFC is still the biggest contributor to the MMA market. He believes that Dana White’s promotion is the only organization that raises the market value of the mixed martial arts industry. Sonnen stated, “If you go look at the landscape, the UFC pays market value every time.”

Keeping that in mind, the former UFC fighter claimed that Joe Rogan could be asking people to tune into the UFC rather than watching what other promotions have to offer. “To Joe’s point, if this is where the attention is [the UFC] and this is where the prestige is at, I shouldn’t have to pay you [Other MMA promotions] what he does,” Chael Sonnen added.

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Despite Joe Rogan’s claim, the MMA market has seen a shift over the past year. The PFL is fast emerging as the most legitimate opposition to the UFC, making a lot of investments and acquiring Bellator. We will have to wait and see how things take shape for all the MMA promotions in the next few years.

Will the UFC remain the biggest MMA promotion forever? Drop your comments below.

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