People cheered when Tom Cruise lit himself on fire sixteen times in mid-air. Not metaphorically. Literally. The man jumped out of a helicopter with a flaming parachute for his latest Mission Impossible film, setting a Guinness World Record. It was peak Cruise: intense, cinematic, and just mad enough to make the internet go crazy. However, it seems like not everyone was clapping—especially a UFC legend.

It served as yet another reminder to the rest of the world that Tom Cruise is just built different. The act required precision, nerves of steel, and a team dipping his parachute in fuel while warning him about “spinning and burning.” Behind-the-scenes footage shows him stating that he has ten seconds to deploy successfully or risk tragedy.

After sixteen takes, the record was his. And yet, not even 24 hours had passed when a certain UFC Hall of Fame loudmouth decided it was time to face reality. Chael Sonnen saw the headlines—and hit pause. But instead of commenting on the fire jump, he focused on a different stunt: the Dead Reckoning Part One cliff jump, in which Tom Cruise’s character launches a motorcycle off the edge before BASE jumping in mid-air.

“He almost died spending millions on a shot [GROK AI] could create for free right now,” Sonnen wrote on X. It was classic Chael. The man throws punches not only in the cage but also online, and they usually land cleaner than most fighters’ left hooks. It wasn’t so much an attack on Cruise’s work ethic—’The American Gangster’ understands the value of going all in. However, it was a poke at the excess.

The UFC legend takes a step back and says, “But why?” as everyone else applauds the absurdity. Is the spectacle worth the money? Is the risk still honorable when it’s neatly packaged for ticket sales? It’s a legitimate question, especially coming from someone who once expressed his desire to see Cruise face Bieber in the UFC Octagon. And yes, that did happen.

But, beyond the sarcasm, there is a strand of respect. Chael Sonnen’s jab is less about criticizing and more about encouraging people not to be blinded by the shine. And for the critics who would just consider ‘The American Gangster’ as simply just another hater, it is worth noting that it was the same Chael Sonnen who publicly defended Tom Cruise during a major controversy during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Back when Chael Sonnen had Tom Cruise’s back

It’s easy to assume Chael Sonnen always brings a jab. That’s his rhythm: start with a smirk, then sting. But not long ago, ‘The American Gangster’ supported Tom Cruise when nearly no one else in the spotlight did. Back in 2020, when the globe was shattered by uncertainty as result of the pandemic, Cruise found himself at the heart of a firestorm—not for a stunt, but for losing his cool on set.

And Sonnen? He didn’t simply protect him. He explained the mindset to the masses. When audio of Cruise’s profanity-laced rant at crew members who violated COVID standards on the Mission: Impossible 7 set surfaced, social media exploded. But Chael Sonnen did not flinch. “You may not like the tone,” he said on his YouTube channel, “but if you listen to his words, Tom Cruise is 100% correct.”

For the UFC legend, it wasn’t about celebrity egos but about responsibilities. According to Sonnen, Cruise was struggling to keep people employed and a large production running amidst global chaos. “Tom Cruise is 100% correct. He’s on a set in the middle of a pandemic, and he tells the people that he has created a job and an opportunity. You have to follow the rules, which largely just means put on your damn mask,” Sonnen urged, mimicking Tom Cruise’s rage but wording it clearly.

Chael Sonnen even pulled the curtain back, revealing the stakes that most fans never see. He discussed insurance bonds, daily calls with insurance reps, and the consequences of breaking those protocols: the entire movie would be shut down. “If anything happens to him,” Sonnen added, “the movie is shelved.” So, his recent X post surely looks like it came from a place of concern rather than anything else. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments.