Chael Sonnen takes pro wrestling announcing deal
Chael Sonnen’s name has flirted around pro wrestling circles for years, but it wasn’t until Wednesday when the deal was announced that he’d be joining them.
Chael Sonnen has always denied that he was a pro wrestling fan, all the while using bits and pieces from past superstar personas like Ric Flair and Superstar Billy Graham. He has now signed a deal to join the industry as an announcer.
At a press conference at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Jeff and Karen Jarrett, who are starting up a promotion called Global Force Wrestling, introduced Sonnen as their “expert analyst,” as a roster announcement.
The new promotion will tape its first shows on July 24 at The Orleans. The promotion has not announced a television distribution deal.
Sonnen, who is currently suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission after two drug test failures, and has said he is retired as a fighter, had previously claimed to be going to WrestleMania in Santa Clara, Calif., at the end of March to talk with World Wrestling Entertainment, the largest pro wrestling company in the world. WWE officials claimed there were no talks scheduled with Sonnen, who was at the event.
Sonnen will remain with ESPN as its analyst for major UFC events.
