The WWE really wanted to acquire the services of MMA legend Chael Sonnen. Apparently, Vince McMahon offered the trash-talking phenom a gigantic contract to make the switch from the Octagon to the ring, while he was still signed with the UFC.
Former UFC middleweight and light-heavyweight contender was in high demand by the WWE while he was still under contract at the world’s largest MMA promotion. Sonnen revealed on his new podcast ‘You’re Welcome’ that WWE promoter Vince McMahon offered him a whopping sum of money to join his organisation but the American gangster turned down the offer.
Here’s the nuts and bolts of it: I was offered $5 million by Vince McMahon.Now, I was still under contract with the UFC and I never took this to Dana. I handled it on my own. I told [WWE], ‘No’ and that was the end of that.
I never told Dana White this story, but here’s why I didn’t tell him. I knew if I called Dana and said, ‘I’ve got a $5 million offer from Vince McMahon,’ Dana would have matched it. Dana would have come close and now all of a sudden I’m not a loyal employee. I’m not loyal to the UFC. I’m shopping them and I’m being loyal to myself.
That’s business. That’s how that works and I don’t think anyone would have had hard feelings but I didn’t see myself that way.
Sonnen was famously axed from the UFC earlier this year after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs (again). *insert joke about steroid use in professional wrestling here*
Hat-tip to MMA Mania
