Free Speech in the UFC? I’ll offer you this…

Chael Sonnen talks about free speech in the UFC on this episode of Beyond the Fight
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All things UFC and MMA with the undefeated Bad Guy, Chael Sonnen. UFC Champions, Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, Colby Covington, Khamzat Chimaev, the MMA hour and commentary on the latest UFC news, UFC Champions in 2022, UFC knockouts and finishes.

[@KYgeli]

My favorite part about mma is listening to chael talk about it

[@evlinalw325]

It’s so rare these days huh?

[@primusucks_]

take it with a grain of salt, he's bought and paid for 😂

[@horizonmediamanagement5225]

I think we may have just found the main event to UFC 300. Just have Uncle Chael come out and talk about it. Record selling numbers

[@balsak007]

Ok cupcake

[@Piercy1985]

I like cm punk

[@dach1156]

I love when Chael offers me something.

[@TherebehoesinAlaska]

Not for nothing tho. Spot on

[@faxenmacher4633]

And that leaves one question... where does Kevin Holland fit into all this?

[@TherebehoesinAlaska]

@@faxenmacher4633 Connor Mcgreggor. UFC 300. (rumor)

[@thesavagecabbage9085]

let’s back this up a bit…

[@DarkLight-Ascending]

Best comment.... Strap in, Lil buckaroo.... The offerings keep commin on ChaelTube. 🎉🎉🎉 😂 ❤

[@OneFedUpMF]

He’s even better than Sean Combs

[@len3169]

John Holmes

[@maxhammer4067]

And jon jones

[@xingheng7336]

@@len3169’john holmes is a dead junkie’

[@len3169]

@@xingheng7336 sorry my comment when way over your head…..can someone please explain this 🤣

[@Enderblades]

He’s badder than John Holmes

[@rickraw100]

Chael is a great story teller.

[@sid3fx1122]

Do you need to be tucked back into bed now little cupcake?

[@JarlJohan]

Remember that time when Jones got caught with "pictogram's" in his system and got away unpunished and when Gustafsson wore a "no drugs" t-shirt to the ceremonial weigh-ins in protest and got fined over it. Yeah... Free speech

[@ajmaneee]

LOL fack Picogramz. Awful scumbag.

[@00boscopops]

As well as firing Angel Torres over a post! Dana White only defends free speech for people who have the same political stance as him.

[@robertriverathe3rd]

I need a super cut of all Cheal's videos to play as background noise as i work

[@dylahn7]

All of these 10 min videos you see on his channel are just cut from his regular podcast I believe

[@theGreatApe1999]

Add him to the sex playlist

[@antuanperez426]

@@dylahn7Where can you find the full length podcast? When I look it up all I get are his KZbin videos

[@dylahn7]

@@antuanperez426 it’s called you’re welcome with chael sonnen, I’ve listened to it on Spotify before

[@DJXxParagonxX]

I agree! Let the fighters show themselves for who they are and what they believe in!

[@kev30631]

Numerous videoes have pointed out that no other sport league does that. They would all either censor or fine their athletes They wouldnt let them openly express non politically correct opinions

[@joemeal3332]

⁠@@kev30631 If any fighter goes out there and says black people or jews are an “infection” The ufc would definitely do something about it. The lgbt community is one of the minority groups thats become ok to trash with the majority of people so ofcourse Dana lets it slide. Perfect opportunity for him to seem like he won’t censor anything

[@robertriverathe3rd]

Cheal gets to the point at the 8:00 minute mark.

[@cold485]

Not gonna lie that point seems far fetched a bit. Even when told what not to say people still have free will. There is no script just rules to play with. It'sike saying mma is scripted cos there are certain moves you can't do

[@LintRiggs_]

Thank you. Chael has a way of saying a lot while saying a whole lot of nothin'.

[@geraldfriend256]

No more spoilers

[@real2606]

As always.

[@chuckmacnorris9613]

Chanel Sonnen gets to the point at 0:00 minute mark.

[@AndrewNajash]

The truth is the company only cares about free speech to the degree it effects them, if what a fighter says, even if it’s reasonable, loses them a lot of money then you know that speech is going to get censored. If what a fighter says doesn’t lose the company money, maybe it even brings in more views because of controversy, then even if it’s unreasonable, the fighter isn’t going to get censored. If saying 1+1=2 lost enough sponsorships for the UFC then you bet your bottom dollar no one’s allowed to talk about math at the next press conferences

[@macbook802]

I agree. But at the end of the day if Dana has you on contract, he has you on a leash.

[@bigchedds8389]

To your point watch Fridays press conference. You'll see strickland look off camera at someone and ask if everything he said was okay. Quite clear Dana (or whoever he answers to) cares more about money and image than actual free speech.

[@fishingwithg8599]

Factss

[@OwenPrescott]

Do you care about what somebody says unless it effects you?

[@rumchata6569]

@@OwenPrescott caring is irrelevant. It’s weather you act on it or not that matters

[@dixonbuttes]

That last point is exactly it - there are built in mechanisms that deliver punishment. Strickland has spoken about certain sponsors he wasn’t able to get.

[@juangonzalez187]

Got to meet you today outside the airport. Made my day thank you sir

[@ajmaneee]

Must've been surreal. Lucky!!

[@juangonzalez187]

He was so cool . Shook our hands and even came back to make sure we were good 💯 he’s a legend

[@ajmaneee]

@@juangonzalez187 How did it feel to get double legged by the linear heavyweight champion of the world? 🏆

[@brassmnky33]

UFC has a unique business model compared to traditional professional leagues that depend on corporate sponsorship for the vast majority of their income.

[@jamess3408]

Underrated comment

[@Budwan1976]

That’s only partially true. The UFC, along with the overwhelming majority of professional sports organizations around the world, make the majority of their revenue from media rights. In the case of the UFC, that would be ESPN who in-turn make the majority of their revenue through corporate advertising. So, though not directly, UFC is still beholden to corporations in an indirect way. Should ESPN ultimately decide not to re-up their contract in the future. The only way this statement would be true is, for example, the Saudis decided to bankroll the UFC.

[@brassmnky33]

@@Budwan1976 notice I said “vast majority” meaning the other leagues don’t benefit from a pay per view. They still receive direct payments from tickets and league pass but it’s not as significant.

[@rumchata6569]

It’s literally WWE just with real fighting. Imagine if mma was allowed to go down the path nba and nfl did. It would be giant and great for fighters and fans. Instead the UFC cornered the market monopolized it and rules it with an iron fist

[@brassmnky33]

@@rumchata6569 it would be great if they paid the fighters more but in reality the UFC is the only entity to ever make money promoting cage fights. The fighters wouldn’t be making the money they’re making without the UFC. You can’t say the UFC is bad for the fighters without acknowledging they’re good for the fighters.

[@InvestBetter.]

I am a very casual follower of UFC. I don't buy PPVs. I don't invest. Why? Because of what Chael is talking about. No promos, not build-up. There is nothing to invest in. I am not interested in "the punches and the kicks" just for the sake of punches and kicks. You need to have soul, you need to tell a story for those punches and kicks to matter💥💫❤‍🔥

[@MMAVoodoo]

I think this matters even to the most hardcore fans

[@emirayth]

i can't let you get close

[@ZachMyers-nq6zc]

Chael is right. I thought i liked the punches and kicks. If that were true i would watch every fight. I always tune in on the spot on the card that interests me because i need the dispute resolution. Damn, im that guy.

[@JohnSmith-yd5wq]

Doesn't mean Strickland needs to be a bigot

[@robertheintz8017]

Chael is wrong. The NFL is much bigger than the UFC without the fake drama.

[@chuckmacnorris9613]

Chanel Sonnen gets to the point at 0:00 minute mark.

[@herogibson]

He is uniquely qualified to speak about this, and hes right 💯

[@JamesWalker-gj2wc]

I don't regularly watch press conferences, weigh ins, I don't get sold on fight hype. For me it's technique so the only dispute resolution I care about is which technique works best. UFC used to be which style is best but I've never believed there was a best style but a best mixture of styles hence, MMA. I don't need soap opera fighting, WWE. Court TV is for my Mom and Chael you're only a half year older than me so it lets you know Mom's in her 70's. I watch fighting on TV because fighting in the streets is illegal but I watch that too🤷. I like the education of combat not conversation

[@johnryan6456]

Serious philosophical topics here, thanks Chael, good work. 👏

[@DMtheDM93]

Ever since I watched Dan Le Batard before the Strickland fight my favorite part of the ufc is free speech always appreciated free speech in the UFC now I feel more strongly about it.

[@00boscopops]

Except Dana White has already fired a fighter over a post he didn't like. He's a hypocrite. Free speech for everything Dana agrees with only.

[@00boscopops]

Except Dana is full of shit! He's already fired a fighter for exercising free speech, and fined others for exercising free speech. People just blindly believing him is funny. He only defends free speech if you have the same political stance as him.😅

[@joegilmartin4187]

Perhaps his best video yet. We’re not worthy

[@JohnSmith-yd5wq]

Nerd

[@joegilmartin4187]

@@JohnSmith-yd5wq 😂

[@DarkLight-Ascending]

When my filter tells me NOT to say something... thats how i know EXACTLY what to say... 😂😂😂

[@liamporter6243]

Dispute resolution. "It's a draw!" Love it.

[@user-ih5gl4go2s]

What Sean Strickland said was POWERFUL. His words will live on FOREVER!

[@LethalNoony]

"No man who beats off to cartoons is gonna beat me"???

[@slobodancovek8047]

what'd he say

[@tundochibeleka9893]

This is the best closing argument ever 👏 👏👏

[@codycarr7610]

I love chael i'm 4:29 into this video and we have not talked about free speech yet

[@arthurkettle3010]

Chael is one hell of a speaker.....his silences alone carry more weight than most other pundit's entire delivery.....

[@thegoodlistenerpodcast]

Matt Mitrione is owed an apology (and much more).. Dana wasn’t such a free speech absolutist when Matt was talking about Fallon Fox

[@antegoreta8866]

Or when Miguel Torres made a surprise van joke.

[@thegoodlistenerpodcast]

@@antegoreta8866 damn!!! I forgot about that.. Torres was a funny guy

[@corbanlester6104]

This feels like a triumphant return for the Bad Guy. We are back baby!

[@crazypato3752]

Dana when fighters talk shit about their personal lifes: 😊 Dana when they talk negatively about fighter pay: 🤬

[@Fatdecember]

No other sports organization says what Dana says. Certain people from a certain political side have made everything all about you being racist, xenophobic, homophobic etc etc. The more we give away our free speech, the more authoritarian rule we will live under (that’s an inevitable fact). You are either for cancel culture or you’re not. You are either for having someone lose their livelihood or you’re not. You are either with the establishment that enforces this on others or you’re not. It’s that simple 💁‍♂️ Dana is doing a phenomenal job and I hope he continues to run the UFC for years to come.

[@dadbodkiller3174]

I’ve been a pro wrestling fan for a long time. Sean Strickland’s promos are awful from a delivery standpoint, but are better and more interesting than anything I’ve ever heard a pro wrestler deliver. He’s the real people’s champion.

[@kev30631]

I agree with everything you wrote . I however would use awkward instead of awful. Just a small change.

[@adz123888]

I agree with alot of his points as they come from a traditional viewpoint but I don't agree how he can trash talk everyone but will cry and threaten to stab someone if the trash talk him back.

[@dadbodkiller3174]

@@adz123888 agreed. I didn’t understand that either. Dricus should have held him to that. But then again, he’s got the belt now and a huge payday coming at his first defense.

[@wiikidblades6505]

​@@dadbodkiller3174Mike Tyson used to tell his opponents way worse who cares.

[@kylewpruitt]

Grade A+ hater

[@vinnierkc]

Random thought: I want to see an hour of Chael talking with MMA Guru

[@DarkLight-Ascending]

U had me at FREEDOM.... 😂 ❤

[@bricehoward7843]

"If you tell them what not too say, you're telling them what too say." -Chael Sonnen

[@keithlarrimore]

I actually didn’t know that story about BJ Penn and the promo, but it's an interesting one. Can we have more of those please?

[@taylorskidmore2760]

I've been thinking about that Dana clip for a few days. Psyched to hear Uncle Chaels thoughts

[@Niko-bb4bg]

I love the video and agree with your main point. To answer a question in this like many have is I like mma for the spirit. To push through physical and mental limitations, to put it all on the line knowing the consequences. Love mma along with many other human endeavors that embody this. Thanks for the content

[@chizzelfingers]

i love when chael tells me what I like, makes my life so much easier

[@TheWorldStageGeopolitics]

this was actually a good take and a deep one rare chael form

[@DestinsAPigeon]

History shows that this hasnt always been the case, but i hope they keep it up

[@evlinalw325]

He forgot about 3 months ago a fellow we’ve maybe heard of named makhachev censored

[@thumbsuckerjoe]

@@evlinalw325 They didn't censor his words or tell him what to say. They just removed that part of his speech from the promo video they uploaded to KZbin. They've done the same thing with almost every Strickland interview. They let him say whatever he wants, but they still pick and choose what they use for advertising, which is fair, imo.

[@evlinalw325]

So they do it then is what you’re saying. I’m glad you agree

[@evlinalw325]

@@thumbsuckerjoe they do it as you pointed out. It’s fair sure private company etc etc. But seems oddly too case specific for my taste

[@thumbsuckerjoe]

​@@evlinalw325It's not as specific as you'd think. It's generally anything that would cause controversy in advertising. The same reason they don't put any of Strickland's tangents about US politics and social issues in their promos is why they didn't include Islam's Palestine speech. And the video title here is about free speech in the UFC. They have no guidelines on what they can and cannot say. That's what free speech is. That doesn't however mean that the UFC has to use everything they say in a promo. That's not guaranteed under free speech.

[@user-im8vn8ye9o]

This is the content we’re here for

[@aldald1241]

Uncle chale damn your crushing it with the content I can't keep up 4 videos a day 🎉 keep crushing it

[@Windertofindertuckertocumming]

I will be back. I’ll be back. Say goodnight to the bad guy.

[@ernieb820]

Let's talk about that Strickland DDP rematch......

[@kylewpruitt]

My man dropped the mic after this

[@EvergreenHaze]

I only watch the fights. Couldn’t care less about the story. If the fighters do something interesting at a press conference that ends up crossing my feed, great… if not, I’ll see you on Saturday. Maybe I’m not the majority, but I wonder how many are others think like this… and out of those, I wonder how many of em used to be wrestlers? 🤔 P.s. the only reason I’m catching the ‘story’ here, is because you (Chael) sometimes drop nuggets about the game that I didn’t think about quite like that

[@chrisstein2612]

Chael said to look within myself, when I did I ascended to heaven. That makes him god.

[@shimmyshafar4194]

Some Chael videos have the tone of a discussion or a question, others, are just a straight up lesson. This one is the latter.

[@davemartin5735]

We can't yell fire in a movie theater if there is no fire. We can't freely talk about doing heinous things or crimes without repercussions. Does that mean we don't have freedom of speech? People saying and doing stupid things seems to be good for business. I'm sure that's what it all amounts to. But then it becomes a little game of who can say and do the dumbest things to get the most attention which would hopefully lead to bigger paydays. Eventually it will go too far.

[@stephenarrigo5679]

Professor Chael waxing poetic again, GEEZ! 😂

[@bettinanstevens9259]

I told Chael not to speak of fried chicken in this video. It worked, he never talked about fried chicken and said what i knew he would say. By telling him he couldn't talk about fried chicken the only alternative was.....you just watched it.

[@leahkelly8306]

At the after fight conference when DDP heard the comment that Dana had Strickland as the winner …..instead of getting butt hurt ….he had changed the energy and said Well then I’m sure glad he’s the owner and not a judge.” Then smiled that good looking smile and given a wink at the same time. He would have won us ALL over!

[@thelegion3682]

Aye chael how have you and your family been doing lately my friend? Happy be-a-little lated new year to you and your family too.

[@hbrandon947]

I need Chael to say "A double patty cheese deluxe for 4.99" over and over in different tones for background noise to sleep

[@donnytrogdon5455]

This is why they need to just hire you to teach the fighters how to talk smack.

[@adamtherriault1250]

Remember when Dana fired Miguel Torres for a joke he tweeted

[@stopbullshitin]

Built in mechanisms that deliver punishment is the smartest thing ive ever heard chael say

[@ManoharRajanlalala]

Dispute and dispute resolution is why I watched Strickland vs DDP

[@ragingpotpie4487]

Eyebrows on fleek Chael

[@shadow_realm47]

haha

[@jfergmma]

Where'd the video on Bo go?

[@cefalu63]

I just imagine chael watching WWF tapes and taking notes.

[@kev30631]

There taking notes from him , more like it

[@mmahomie]

Another Uncle Chael 💎

[@markcurtis2931]

It took me a second to discern "we don't have heels because they can't take the boos" from "they can't take the booze". Though the latter is often an accurate description as well!

[@saffakanera]

That's very mean to undercard fighters, seeing as the man holding the belt right now who is going to hold on to it for five years started from there. Chief.

[@baccaratnatural]

Strickland won 4 to 1

[@angelzgalaxy4975]

Chael is talking about the ufc 94 promo

[@josephrusso7069]

How has a major network not given Chael his own talk show?

[@justincall997]

Charles audience is larger here than on ANY major network.

[@dhalsim-1]

@@justincall997 Charles indeed

[@hunterkinch793]

What are the chances Chimaev vs Edward’s for the belt? Khamzat was just found press with ESPN and he just took a late notice fight with Usman so he might be in good with Dana right now. Also Edward’s did say he would be on 300

[@natemarx4999]

matt mitrione was actually punished for saying comments that were controversial, but he actually kind of threatened the person. Sean never did that.

[@alexandersupertramp7353]

And Nate Diaz was fined $20k for it

[@ThomasDaly1488]

So what? You threaten a fighter as a fighter? That's promoting.

[@beaualoevv]

lncel

[@beaualoevv]

how is the weight Ioss journey going? still 300Ibs??

[@Barbarossa_F]

Different times.. none of those people should've been in trouble for anything they said. But the times were different and criticizing or offending the "LGBTQ" cult was much more of a taboo then. Now that they've been exposed for what they are, and what they want to do to children, there's much more leeway in what can be said.

[@archipitiniiii]

Imagine if Silva didn’t get that lucky triangle and Chael fought Bisping later in his career

[@kev30631]

Chael is undefeated , have you watched this channel

[@dhalsim-1]

Chael did not tap against Silva - Referees error

[@bronco1199]

I'm going to watch the Super Bowl, but I'm not going to sit in the cold and watch the local high school team.

[@truecocunut421]

When Dana leaves this free speech era is over. Enjoy it while it last. Even if you don't like Dana I can't imagine any other sports CEO standing for free speech in this way. And UFC is even a Disney owned company.

[@alexandersupertramp7353]

You mean Dana White didn't fine Nate Diaz for a homophobic slur he used in 2013? And suspended him for 90 days on top of it? So that didn't happen? Hmm. Who knew?

[@cj2103m]

What free speech are you afraid of not being able to say, exactly? The only speech anyone criticizes is simple bigotry.

[@MMAVoodoo]

​@@cj2103m who defines bigotry, you simpleton? That's the problem. Leftists have, for the last decade started slapping that bigot label on anyone who simply disagrees with them on a topic. Everything is labeled hate speech

[@unsub6737]

Preach!

[@boduke9428]

I don't even watch MMA. I just enjoy unc telling me stories about it.

[@scottbivins4758]

I like that Dana is standing up for a Sean Strickland to speak what he thinks Seans speaks for alot of people who dont have that big of platform to do so.

[@jakethesnake4971]

The title should be "Ariel I offer you this."

[@alc27321]

Chael is a super smart guy

[@ssheldon1616]

Welll said.

[@samuelsavy8752]

Chael: "Not to give this person a hard time" Proceeds instantly to give the person a hard time.

[@nitpoon7982]

the infection is after the children..clean it out by any means and save the children from being infected

[@mcgmcg2792]

Had no idea sakuraba (the gracie killer) fought in the UFC

[@kevinjrhvacguy]

That’s Money - Right On Mr Sonnen

[@noneatallatanytime]

I think the problem with "free speech" is that USA is one of a handful of countries in the world where speech is protected from the government. Most countries in the world penalize or criminalize certain speech. In Canada, where Strickland just were, harassment with speech can be criminal. So, in most cases when non American journalists asks Dana about restricting the fighters' speech is not a matter of "freedom of speech" it is a matter of how it would affect the UFC if a card gets cancelled because of a criminal investigation or if the fighter gets in legal trouble for what they say. What would happen if someone started criticizing Islam or one of their important people when they are in Abu Dhabi? UAE have blasphemy laws with jail time as punishment. So, it is not a matter of scripting but a matter of keeping people on the right side of the law.

[@markcurtis2931]

I guess I am one of those few lost souls who LOVE the PRELIMS. It's not always about star power...it's about matchups. In fact, quite often the script is flipped and the best fights are in the undercards. Sometimes a lot more compelling having two hungry fighters trying to make it to the main cards.

[@kev30631]

I love the fight night main events. Giving people the privilege of carrying a show seems to step up their game.

[@PeterTeal77]

It's all well and good to stand by free speech on principle, but this is a very practical argument based on business realities. Thank you for this, we can't rely on having a Dana in office to protect these principles based on their personal values. There needs to be a cold, profit-driven reasoning.

[@s4ckm4n]

"It's the exact format and recipe that they would use in court" :D

[@evlinalw325]

Love the recipe exchange group known as the courts of our grand nation lol

[@s4ckm4n]

@@evlinalw325 also, my lawyer has a crazy left hook. He 10-8'd the other said with his arguments.

[@evlinalw325]

@@s4ckm4n gotta have a tough as nails lawyer whose still willing to go for the KO headkick or flying knee during the other side’s closing arguments lmao

[@m6chael]

White & Sonnen 2024

[@silentsurge3724]

I put ur videos on autoplay when I cook stuff🍳🥓

[@superduty2023]

Tito tapped

[@redbigtown2017]

Chael is the best sports analyst now. Not just the best trash talker.

[@macbook802]

If Dana has you on contract, he has you on a leash.

[@alanclinton4239]

Chael is correct to not to make this about free speech in general, in the abstract, because the UFC is entertainment. Even though he's saying it's real, what he's saying is that it's more entertaining when it's real. Or, probably even better to understand, it's improvised. Except when it's Ian Garry, which is why he's so bad at talking.

[@daniloalves1139]

Chael offer you something you can't refuse

[@RobsNeighbor]

Chael i can only aspire

[@ajmaneee]

10:10 This is deeper than Mayra Bruno Silva's voice. So true... if you restrict speech, then you have created a script.

[@drfrankfarhadi]

I have no idea for once what the hell Chael was talking about this video. He still does remain tho, undisputed and undefeated

[@cold485]

That's almost like saying mma isn't real cos there are certain moves you can't do. Spot on about the built in mechanisms for punishment though

[@realcane9908]

What a cogent argument for free speech in this industry, keeping political aside, bravo

[@blacksheepmartialarts9595]

It’s not conflict resolution, it’s problem solving.