Chael Sonnen issues scathing response to Islam Makhachev's recent "average athlete" diss: "Your HERO is my ACOLYTE"

Chael Sonnen torched Islam Makhachev with potentially one of his coldest clapbacks in recent MMA memory. Makhachev recently brushed off Sonnen as an “average athlete” who allegedly talked his way into relevance. The Dagestani fighter made those remarks while reacting to the American's recent comments about him.

The retired UFC fighter fired back with a four-tweet barrage, mocking Makhachev’s drawing power, claiming that even Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor once begged him for promo material.

The feud erupted after Makhachev announced his move to welterweight, vacating the lightweight belt. While some called it a bold move, Sonnen called it cowardice.

Makhachev, riding a 13-fight win streak, defended his choice by taking a jab at Sonnen's legacy. He accused the former contender of building his career on empty trash talk. Sonnen took to X and wrote:

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"When you're tired of rolling around in front of bored crowds and drawing fewer viewers than a Hog-Hollerin' contest, get in touch. You won't be the first guy from your gym who begged me for material...In fact, it wouldn't be the first time YOUR guy and the OTHER [Irish] guy BOTH used material they begged me to give 'em to become interesting..."

He added:

"Check your magazine before you try to fire, SonnyBoy. It's EMPTY! You believed a rumor... So don't be shy and don't pick fake fights w/me to get my attention. Your HERO is my ACOLYTE. So is his NEMESIS. SO are YOU."

Check out Chael Sonnen's X posts below:

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Chael Sonnen claps back at Islam Makhachev. [Screenshots courtesy: @ChaelSonnen on X]

Chael Sonnen calls out Ilia Topuria’s strategy in chasing Islam Makhachev fight

Ilia Topuria might be the most buzzworthy name in MMA right now, and Chael Sonnen knows it. Sonnen praised Topuria's rapid rise, calling him a master of commanding headlines and fan interest.

However, while breaking down the logic behind Topuria's choices, Sonnen said that if the endgame was truly Islam Makhachev, Topuria should’ve jumped straight to the welterweight division. That path, Sonnen believes, creates an undeniable scenario that forces the UFC's hand.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen said:

"I haven’t seen anything out of Ilia [Topuria] yet that I could possibly criticize, but covering the spread of 45, 55, and 70... If that truly is the end game, the strategy would be to go from 45 to 70. The best way to do anything in life is to find someone who’s already done it and copy them. Conor McGregor, your [former] 145-pound champion, decided he was going to go to a main event at 170. Nobody invited Conor to 170... If Ilia is truly chasing down Islam, go chase him down. If he did in fact have that golden ticket, he should have cashed it in at 170.”

Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:

About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar