Chael Sonnen: 'I'm Not in on the Pay-Per-View Sales'

By Michael David Smith - Lead Blogger

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With his relentless, months-long trash talk, Chael Sonnen did more to promote his UFC 117 fight with Anderson Silva than any fighter has ever done to promote any pay-per-view bout.

But Sonnen didn't get a nickel for it.

In an interview on HDNet's Fighting Words with Mike Straka, Sonnen said that his UFC contract doesn't include pay-per-view bonuses, and he's fine with that: He wasn't promoting his fight to make money for himself, he was doing it to make money for the UFC.

"I'm not a partner to the UFC," Sonnen said. "I'm not in on the pay-per-view sales. I get a flat fee. So I'm just not in the job of selling fights."

Sonnen said UFC President Dana White doesn't pay him based on pay-per-view sales, nor should he.

"Not only did I not get a piece, I'm not entitled to a piece," Sonnen said. "Dana White owes me nothing. I'm in debt to Dana White.
I want to make the UFC money. The UFC does not owe me a thing. Nothing. I am in debt to them."

For a man who acted like an arrogant jerk so much over the last several months, Sonnen now sounds remarkably humble. Maybe that's the way he'll sell his rematch with Silva, taking off the black hat and putting on the white hat. However he sells it, Sonnen-Silva 2 is sure to sell big. Sonnen will see to that.

Read More: dana white, ufc 117, Anderson Silva (MMA), Chael Sonnen (MMA)

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