I worked 27 years to win this. I had a goal for 27 years, and I woke up not knowing what to do. Not knowing what’s my goal now? What’s my purpose in life now that I’ve achieved the one and only goal I had? I’m going to have to deal with that because I don’t know either.

I don’t have a goal to defend it; I don’t, Sonnen continued, Salesman Chael replaced by a reflective veteran trying to wrap his head around what it would mean to accomplish his ultimate goal.

I will want a goal, and I’ll need to change, but I’ve spent 26 years – since I was nine-years-old – towards this one night, so I don’t know. I need to figure out how to reset and look at defending the championship.

There’s a saying that you’re not really the champion until you defend it, and that saying is a bunch of crap. If you win the belt, you’re the champion. It’s going to be hard for me I fear, and maybe it won’t – maybe I’ll instantly be motivated to go out and defend it, I don’t know – but I’m very worried how I’m going to respond to reaching my goal.

read entire article…