Chael Sonnen Announces His Retirement Following Bellator 222 Loss

Chael Sonnen has decided it’s time to walk away from mixed martial arts competition.

In the co-main event of Bellator 222, Sonnen took on former UFC light heavyweight title holder Lyoto Machida. Sonnen tried pressuring “The Dragon,” but two devastating knees to his jaw were just too much to handle. Machida won the bout via second-round TKO.

Speaking to “Big” John McCarthy after the fight, Sonnen held his gloves and said he’s had a lot of fun in his career but he’s walking away from the sport of MMA. Sonnen ends his career with a professional record of 31-17-1. He’s fought for notable promotions such as the UFC, Bellator, World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), and Pancrase to name a few.

Sonnen has shared the Octagon with renowned names in the sport of MMA such as Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Rashad Evans, Quinton Jackson, Fedor Emeleianenko, and Machida. His feud with Silva will go down in MMA history as one of the most heated rivalries.