MMA legend Chael Sonnen was recently a guest on CBS Sports' In This Corner podcast to promote his return at the Bellator 192 event. Sonnen successfully defeated Quinton "Rampage" Jackson by unanimous decision to move his record to 31-15-1.
Sonnen has been known to be a longtime wrestling fan and revealed in the interview that WWE was interested in bringing him in at WrestleMania 32 to participate in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which he turned down. Sonnen stated that he does not envision a day that he would take his gift of gab and MMA background to cross over to pro wrestling.
"I kind of pissed those guys off," Sonnen said. "I was asked to be a contestant in a [battle royal] and I wasn't against it, but I just couldn't get the date. I actually worked hard and I tried to clear it. I tried to do it but [WWE] thought I blew them off. I haven't really heard back and whenever they come to town, they invite me and give me and some friends some really good tickets and we have a real blast."
Sonnen claims that in 2014 he was offered a $5 million contract to end the remainder of his contract with UFC and switch over to WWE. He declined it, stated that "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."