The notion of a “dark side” turns ironic when applied to Chael Sonnen. As Vice TV’s Dark Side of the Cage spotlights the former UFC title challenger in its second season, his old foe Jason “Mayhem” Miller couldn’t resist poking fun at the narrative. Miller—who suffered his first career loss to Sonnen back in 2002—publicly scoffed at the idea of Sonnen having a tragic backstory, pointing out his best-selling books, hit podcast, and financial success. Yet, beneath the banter lies the true origin of “The Bad Guy”: a calculated shift in sports entertainment where sharp trash talk and unshakeable bravado reshaped MMA promotion and paved the way to his iconic clashes with Anderson Silva.
The notion of a “dark side” turns ironic when applied to Chael Sonnen.
