If this list had been compiled a year or two ago, Chael Sonnen would likely have ranked much higher. However, a funny thing happened in the last couple of years: the majority of the MMA fanbase got in on the joke. They realized that Chael Sonnen was playing the character of Chael Sonnen, a lot like how Kurt Angle plays Kurt Angle in the pro wrestling realm. In other words, he was a heel. He was talking to sell bouts. And damn, he was good at it. So good, that he had most of us fooled for quite some time. Still, for years he was hated, for bad-mouthing Brazil, insulting Anderson Silva's wife, pretending to be the UFC middleweight champion (even carrying a fake belt around), storming off talk shows, and calling out opponents left right and centre. In real life, there was a failed political run and a money laundering scandal. Lots of reasons to hate the guy, right? He would "turn face" towards the end of his active career, which ended with a pair of failed drug tests this summer (probably earning him a bit more hate), but overall, Chael Sonnen is definitely a guy you loved to hate, though in more of a fun way.
Primarily covering the sport of MMA from Ontario, Canada, Jay Anderson has been writing for various publications covering sports, technology, and pop culture since 2001. Jay holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Guelph, and a Certificate in Leadership Skills from Humber College.
