Former UFC fighter Chris Leben sat down with Helen Yee and turned back the clock to the early days of his career. Leben narrated an interesting story from when he was an amateur working out alongside Chael Sonnen. The story gave an interesting look into the way Sonnen began his career and the manner in which he launched himself into fight sports.

Chris Leben revealed that Chael Sonnen once offered to pay money and purchase stories that Leben narrated. Leben narrated some quirky personal stories about his family that Sonnen quickly purchased only to then narrate them as his own. Chris Leben explained that Sonnen would go on interviews and talk about the incidents much to his amusement.

“Years ago, after practice, Chael and I were sitting talking shit after practice and I was telling him stories about my family, two stories about my crazy uncle Steve and Chael actually bought those stories from me. So he bought two stories and I was broke. This was when I was an amateur.”

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“So he bought them at a $100  a piece and he said ‘This is the deal, these are my stories now and you’re never going to tell them again’.” At the time, broke Chris Leben would take it. So, for years, Chael went and told these stories as his own, ‘My crazy uncle!’ and I just watched him tell these stories in interviews and sh*t and laugh. Didn’t bother me at all.”

Hilariously enough, Chael Sonnen took to social media and verified Leben’s story to be accurate. Leben too responded to Sonnen on Twitter and their back and forth was well received by fans.

Chael Sonnen: A masterful promoter

Anyone who has followed the career of Sonnen knows that Leben’s accounting on past incidents seems true to form. ‘The American Gangster’ built a career of his promotion and he’s a pioneer when it comes to self-branding.

His efforts on the mic got him title shots off losses as well as notoriety that not many wrestlers had. Not to mention, he’s now one of the figurehead analysts for ESPN, the leader in sports globally.

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