Chael Sonnen's full "apology" to UFC Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

As expected, the brief comment released by Fuel TV portending to be an "apology" by Chael Sonnen to Anderson Silva was not quite as it seemed. Sonnen appeared in a spot on the network's "UFC Tonight" program on Tuesday and offered up a short speech with some slow music playing behind him in an overly dramatized scene.

"I've taken the time to write Anderson Silva a letter, and UFC Tonight has afforded me a few moments to share it with him," Sonnen said. "I wrote this myself:

Anderson, over the last several months, I've disparaged your name in an attempt to garner respect and attention for my own. That was wrong and I apologize. My actions were unsportsmanlike, they were uncalled for. Though they weren't mean spirited, I do regret them. As you know I have recently become the #1 contender, which is a position that respectfully and immediately I am resigning from. I wish no further confrontation with you in the Octagon or through the media. In short, I surrender.

Signed, your friend,

Chael P. Sonnen

You didn't think it would end there, though, did you? Of course not, as the music came to a halt, and Sonnen added this final comment:

"P.S. - I've changed my mind. Anderson, you kiss my ass (obnoxious laugh)"

He then said they should keep the obnoxious laugh. Check out the video clip of the "apology", complete with Sonnen's obnoxious laugh, below:



Video URL: http://youtu.be/gDIb_BxYCI8

Penick's Analysis: Sonnen's gonna Sonnen. If anyone was surprised by the bait and switch on the apology, well, then they haven't been paying attention to Sonnen. This is precisely the type of thing to be expected, and though it's a cute little attention-getter, it's a lot more pro-wrestling than a lot of the things Sonnen's done, and may rub some the wrong way because of that. It's good for a chuckle, and to keep the attention on the fight as the months go on, but nothing more.

[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

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