Every now and then someone pulls off a sporting stunt that is slightly questionable. Perhaps there is nothing about it in the rulebooks, but upon seeing it, something instinctively seems unsafe or off, and it may feel like, perhaps, new rules should be written. Or, at least, someone should say something! This is more important than ever in the generation of viral videos and social media, where safety isn’t always the top concern. It’s important for experts to use their platforms to speak out and set the records straight on what flies and what doesn’t, and this is exactly what ex-MMA fighter and current MMA analyst Chael Sonnen did with a recent video that took the internet by storm.

The video in question is one you’ve probably seen doing the rounds if you are indeed a wrestling or MMA fan. It shows two young wrestlers grappling before a referee in what seems to be a college setup when one wrestler is tossed over the others’ head in an attempted suplex; however before the move can be pulled off, the latter pulls off a backflip and pulls an ‘uno reverso’ sort of move. Though he is still tackled to the ground at the end of the video, the move itself is impressive. Imagine the core strength!

However, as cool as it looks, Chael Sonnen wasn’t standing for these unconventional tactics and was quick to reshare the video with the caption, “No… Just no.” Sonnen’s abrupt response to the whole thing is indicative of the many safety issues at play for both wrestlers, whose necks and spines could have been damaged if this didn’t go right. Luckily it did, but there’s a reason there is a wrestling rulebook!

Sonnen’s dry commentary also gives fans a sense of the analyst’s no bs approach to his job as we get closer to the big launch of the Real American Freestyle promotional at the end of this month, an event that promises to be larger than life, with Sonnen signed on to officially narrate the thing!

Chael Sonnen at the Real American Freestyle launch; can we expect more cut-and-dry analysis?

Now that Chael Sonnen is officially signed on to do commentary at the late Hulk Hogan’s venture, Real American Freestyle, on its opening day on the 30th of this month, things should get really interesting.

First off, there are two one-of-a-kind setups, including a match between Bo Nickal and Jacob Cardenas and one between Kyle Dake and Dean Hamiti Jr. Sonnen has, over the past few months, shared his thoughts on all these wrestlers, with some extra attention given to Bo Nickal.

“I believe that Bo Nickal is going to rise to the top. I do not know if the calendar year will quite give him an opportunity. I think he needs 16 months to actually find the belt.” Is what Sonnen said earlier this year of the former wrestler and now MMA pro; however, when it came back to the matter of Nickal reverting to wrestling to fight just-out-of-college Cardenas, Sonnen seemed to think Cardenas would win without doubt.

Joining Sonnen on the 30th at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio, will be Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle and MMA artist and former wrestler Bubba Jenkins, so there will be a good mix of opinions in the broadcasting booth and more than enough space for Chael Sonnen to set things straight when they get off kilter!