Chael Sonnen (photo via UFC.com)

By FCF Staff

Chael Sonnen’s gifts on the microphone helped make him one of MMA’s biggest draws while he was competing, so much so, his actions often had a pro-wrestling ring to them. Well, according to the now retired fighter, at one point, he was extended a multi-million dollar offer from World Wrestling Entertainment.

Sonnen reportedly made the revelation while speaking on his podcast, “You’re Welcome.” While talking with WWE writer John Piermarini about pro-wrestler and former UFC champ Brock Lesnar, Sonnen relayed (quote via MMA Fighting.com):

“Here’s the nuts and bolts of it: I was offered $5 million by [WWE promoter] Vince McMahon,” Sonnen said. “Now, I was still under contract with the UFC and I never took this to Dana. I handled it on my own. I told [WWE], ‘No’ and that was the end of that. I never told Dana White this story, but here’s why I didn’t tell him. I knew if I called Dana and said, ‘I’ve got a $5 million offer from Vince McMahon,’ Dana would have matched it.”

Sonnen went on to say that in his opinion, White will play “cuthroat business”, but that fighters are better off if they allow the UFC President to “take care of things.” The accomplished wrestler furthered that taking the offer to the UFC would have meant he was being a disloyal employee, even though he didn’t think there would have been “hard feelings.”

The 37 year-old Sonnen retired earlier this year after he failed two random drug tests, and was then suspended for two years.